Effects of Yoga Respiratory Exercises on Clinical Impact, and Psychosocial Aspects in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Introduction According to the Global Initiative for Chronic Lung Disease (GOLD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common, preventable and treatable disease, characterized by a persistent not totally reversible limitation of air flow, with a progressively characteristic associated to the increase of inflammatory lungs and air pathways reactions to gas and harmful particles. It is one of the main morbid-mortality causes world wide and, thus, a social health matter. Dyspnoea is a recurrent stressful symptom of COPD, and is usually followed by anxiety, depression, and decreased quality of life.

Some studies have addressed the tolerance of yoga breathing exercises by COPD patients, and some have indeed found a decreased functional load of dyspnoea in such patients.

Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the regular practice (training) of respiratory Yoga exercises (pranayamas) on the clinical impact and psychosocial aspects: anxiety, depression and quality of life in COPD patients as a complementary therapy to pulmonary rehabilitation.

Methods Participants Diagnosed COPD patients will be recruited from the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Ambulatory of the Clinical Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (HC-FMUSP). All participants will give written consent to participate of the study, and will be able to exit the study at any point without having to explain the reason.

Sample Size Calculation Based on effect expected proportion in controls of 0.05, assuming an odds ratio of 25, in a confidence level of 0.95, and a power of 0.8, the sample size for each group was 9, in a total sample size (both groups) of 18 participants.