title: Yoga Therapy in Children with Cystic Fibrosis Decreases Immediate Anxiety and Joint Pain.
abstract: This study was designed to determine whether yoga might alleviate symptoms of pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depression in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is the most common genetic, life-limiting chronic disease among Caucasian populations. It primarily affects the lungs but also many other secretory organs and consequently leads to significant morbidities. Research has shown that children with CF have significantly increased depression, anxiety, and pain compared to their healthy counterparts. Subjects participated in six one-on-one sessions over a 10-week period with a certified instructor who designed each yoga practice based on a preestablished list of 30 yoga asanas. Questionnaires evaluating pain, sleep disturbance, sustained anxiety, immediate anxiety, and depression were administered. Differences between premeasures and postmeasures were evaluated using a two-sided test. Twenty subjects were assessed (12 females/8 males), median age of 11 (7-20) years. Mean immediate anxiety scores decreased (before session to after session 29 to 23.6, respectively,p< 0.001). Joint pain improved (3.25 to 3.65,p= 0.028). CFQ-R emotion subscale improved from 79.2 to 85 (p= 0.073), and the respiratory subscale improved from 66.7 to 79.2 (p= 0.076). Other results were less notable. We conclude that yoga may reduce immediate anxiety and joint pain in patients with CF.
authors.affiliation: Children's Respiratory and Critical Care Specialists, PA, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Mahrya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Read
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vander Velden
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thygeson
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Meixia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandrud
authors.affiliation: Children's Respiratory and Critical Care Specialists, PA, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5893-5536
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McNamara