Yoga-CaRe trial in 3,500 heart failure patients: yoga improved quality of life, not event rates
In an Indian trial of nearly 3,500 patients with reduced ejection fraction, yoga-based rehabilitation raised quality-of-life scores and walking distance; event rates did not differ significantly.
Yoga-based cardiac rehabilitation improved quality of life and physical performance in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, but did not reduce the risk of death, hospitalization or stroke. The data were presented at an American Heart Association session in Chicago, science.mail.ru reports. science.mail.ru
science.mail.ruscience.mail.ruOpen source ↗ The Indian trial enrolled almost 3,500 patients; the mean age was 57 years and 27% were women.
Half of the participants joined the Yoga-CaRe program: 20 supervised yoga sessions over three months plus individual lifestyle advice. The other half were treated under an extended standard protocol.
At three months, scores on the Minnesota quality-of-life questionnaire in the yoga group had improved by about eight points, and the six-minute walk distance had increased by 25.5 m on average. Health status measured with the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire was also better in this group.
The composite of death, hospitalization and stroke did not differ significantly between the groups. Over a median follow-up of 15 months, events occurred in 21% of the yoga group (364 people) and in 22.8% of the control group (401 people). science.mail.ru
science.mail.ruscience.mail.ruOpen source ↗
The researchers note that yoga may become an accessible and culturally acceptable alternative in resource-limited countries, but wider adoption requires further research.
