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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Jan;63(1):23-32.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.07.022. Epub 2021 Jul 31.

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study of Yoga Skills Training Versus an Attention Control Delivered During Chemotherapy Administration

Stephanie J Sohl  1 , Janet A Tooze  2 , Emily Nance Johnson  2 , Sheila H Ridner  3 , Russell L Rothman  4 , Caio Rocha Lima  2 , Katherine C Ansley  2 , Amy Wheeler  5 , Barbara Nicklas  2 , Nancy E Avis  2 , Lynne I Wagner  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study of Yoga Skills Training Versus an Attention Control Delivered During Chemotherapy Administration

Stephanie J Sohl et al. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

Context: It is important to address fatigue and co-occurring symptoms during chemotherapy to preserve quality of life in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.

Objective: To conduct a randomized controlled pilot study of a Yoga Skills Training (YST) intervention compared to an attention control (AC) among adults diagnosed with GI cancer.

Methods: YST consisted of four 30-minute sessions delivered individually during chemotherapy plus home practice. AC provided empathic attention plus home diaries. Patient-reported (PROMIS T-score) assessments of fatigue, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and psychological stress (Perceived Stress Scale) were collected at chemotherapy visits: baseline, Week 8, Week 10 and Week 14, and analyzed using a mixed effects model. Inflammatory cytokines were assessed at baseline and Week 10.

Results: Forty-four of 77 adults approached agreed to participate (57%; YST n = 23; AC n = 21). Participants' mean age was 58 years and 48% were men. Participants randomized to YST reported a larger decline in fatigue (-2.4 difference, d = 0.30) and depressive symptoms (-2.5 difference, d = 0.30) than AC participants from baseline to Week 10 and sleep disturbances at Week 8 (-3.9 difference, d = 0.50). Differences in magnitude of change in symptoms were consistent with or exceeded a minimally important difference. Psychological stress decreased more in the AC at Week 10 (d = 0.30). Reductions in inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, sTNF R1) were larger in the YST group than AC.

Conclusion: YST showed promise for improving fatigue, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and inflammation. YST is also feasible and reaches patients underrepresented in yoga research (i.e., GI cancer, men), thus warranting further examination.

Keywords: Yoga; depression; fatigue; gastrointestinal neoplasms; inflammation; sleep.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest

L.I.W. has income for patient-reported outcome consultation outside of the submitted work from Celgene Inc. and Athenex Inc. and R.L.R. previously received consulting fees from Abbott not related to the current work. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to report related to the content of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Study flow diagram
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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