Effects of 6 months yoga program on renal functions and quality of life in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of 6 months yoga program in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD).


METHODS
Fifty-four patients with CKD were studied and divided into two groups (yoga group and control group) to see the effect of yoga in CKD. Patients in the yoga group were offered yoga therapy along with other conventional treatment modalities, while the control group was only on conventional treatment. Subjects in yoga group were trained to perform specific yogicasanasfor at least 5 days a week for 40-60 min a day. Regular monitoring of blood pressure, renal function, requirement of a number of dialysis, and quality of life (QOL) indicators were done. Fifty patients (yoga - 25; control-25) completed 6 months follow-up.


RESULTS
In yoga group, a significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, significant reduction in blood urea and serum creatinine levels, and significant improvement in physical and psychological domain of the World Health Organization QOL (as assessed by BREF QOL scores) were seen after 6 months. In control group, rise of blood pressure, deterioration of renal function, and QOL were observed. Poststudy comparison between the two groups showed a statistically significant reduction of blood pressure, nonsignificant reduction in blood urea and serum creatinine, and significant improvement in physical and psychological domain of QOL in yoga group as compared to control group. For subjects in yoga group, the need for dialysis was less when compared to control group although this difference was statistically insignificant. Except for inability of some patients to perform certain yogicasanasno adverse effect was found in the study.


CONCLUSIONS
Six months yoga program is safe and effective as an adjuvant therapy in improving renal functions and QOL of CKD patients.
Department of Internal Medicine, Lala Lajpat Rai Medical College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Rajendra Kumar
RK
Pandey
Department of Internal Medicine, Lala Lajpat Rai Medical College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Tung Vir Singh
TV
Arya
Department of Internal Medicine, Lala Lajpat Rai Medical College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Amit
A
Kumar
Department of International Health, Global Disease Epidemiology and Control, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA.
Ashish
A
Yadav
Chronic kidney disease; World Health Organization; quality of life