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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Feb 1;118(2):329-337.
doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002052. Epub 2022 Oct 11.

Meditation and Yoga for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Adrijana D'Silva  1 , Deborah A Marshall  1   2 , Jeff K Vallance  3 , Yasmin Nasser  4   5 , Vidya Rajagopalan  4 , Jessie H Szostakiwskyj  6 , Maitreyi Raman  1   4   5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Meditation and Yoga for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Adrijana D'Silva et al. Am J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Introduction: Delivered in person, yoga is effective in managing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. The evidence for efficacy, feasibility, and safety of virtually delivered yoga for patients with IBS is unknown.

Methods: Adults diagnosed with IBS were randomized to either Hatha yoga intervention of 8 weekly online classes delivered virtually or an advice-only control group and assessed at baseline and postintervention. We used an unadjusted ANOVA to determine differences between and within groups on the primary outcome (decrease of ≥50 points in IBS Symptom Severity Scale [IBS-SSS]) and secondary outcomes (quality of life, anxiety and depression, fatigue, somatic symptoms, perceived stress, COVID-19 stress, and self-compassion). We assessed feasibility through recruitment and attrition rates, adherence, participant satisfaction, and safety (i.e., adverse events).

Results: Seventy-nine people participated (mean age 45.4 years [SD = 14.0], 92% women, 20% attrition rate). IBS-SSS decreased significantly in the treatment group (Δ change = 54.7, P = 0.028), but not in the control group (Δ change = 22.6, P = 0.277). Fourteen patients (37%) in the yoga group reached a clinically relevant decrease of ≥50 points on the IBS-SSS postintervention compared with 8 patients (20%) in the control group ( P = 0.242). No significant difference was found between groups in IBS-SSS score postintervention ( P = 0.149), but significant differences in favor of the treatment group for quality of life ( P = 0.030), fatigue ( P = 0.035), and perceived stress ( P = 0.040) were identified. The yoga program demonstrated feasibility. Intention to practice yoga decreased significantly in both groups from baseline to postintervention ( P < 0.001). However, the decline in intention did not correlate with practice minutes.

Discussion: Virtually delivered yoga is safe and feasible, and effective in reducing IBS symptoms. Based on the primary end point, the intervention was not superior to an advice-only control group.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04302623.

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Conflict of interest statement

Guarantor of the article: Maitreyi Raman, MD, MSc.

Specific author contributions: A.D. was involved in all aspects of study design, recruitment, data collection. D.A.M., J.K.V., Y.N., V.R., and M.R. assisted with study design respective to their expertise. J.H.S. led the statistical analysis. All authors reviewed the manuscript for study design and provided critical insight into manuscript content and approved the final version for submission.

Financial support: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, and not-for-profit sectors. D.A.M. receives partial salary support through the Arthur J.E. Child Chair.

Potential competing interests: None to report.

Trial registration number: NCT04302623.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Participant flowchart based on the CONSORT guidelines.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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