title: The role of Rajyoga meditation for modulation of anxiety and serum cortisol in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery: A prospective randomized control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rajyoga meditation is a form of mind body intervention that is promoted by the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University. This form of meditation can be easily performed without rituals or mantras and can be practiced anywhere at any time. The practice of Rajyoga meditation can have beneficial effects on modulating anxiety and cortisol level in patients undergoing major cardiac surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective randomized control study was carried out in a single tertiary care center. One hundred and fifty patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomized in two groups namely, Group 1 (Rajyoga group) and Group 2 (Control Group). Anxiety was measured on a visual analog scale 1-10 before the start of Rajyoga training or patient counseling (T1), on the morning of the day of surgery (T2), on the 2nd postoperative day (T3), and on the 5th postoperative day (T4). The serum cortisol level was measured in the morning of the day of surgery (T1), on the 2nd postoperative day (T2) and on the 5th postoperative day (T3), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the study, it was seen that the anxiety level of the patients before the surgery (T1) and on the day of surgery (T2) were comparable between the two groups. However on the 2nd postoperative day (T3), the patients who underwent Rajyoga training had lower anxiety level in comparison to the control group (3.12 ± 1.45 vs. 6.12 ± 0.14, P < 0.05) and on the 5th postoperative day (T4) it was seen that Rajyoga practice had resulted in significant decline in anxiety level (0.69 ± 1.1 vs. 5.6 ± 1.38, P < 0.05). The serum cortisol level was also favorably modulated by the practice of Rajyoga meditation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mindbody intervention is found to effective in reducing the anxiety of the patients and modulating the cortisol level in patients undergoing wellknown stressful surgery like coronary artery bypass surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Usha
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kiran
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Suruchi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ladha
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Neeti
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Makhija
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Poonam Malhotra
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Minati
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sambhunath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Parag
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gharde
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Vishwas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Surgery, Cardiothoracic Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Balram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Airan
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone