Randomised clinical trial: yoga vs written self-care advice for ulcerative colitis

Area of Science:

• Integrative medicine
• Gastroenterology
• Psychosomatic medicine

Background:

• Perceived stress is a known risk factor for ulcerative colitis exacerbations.
• Yoga is recognized for its stress-reducing capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of yoga in enhancing the quality of life for individuals diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.

Main Methods:

• 77 ulcerative colitis patients with clinical remission but reduced quality of life were randomized into yoga or self-care groups.
• Yoga involved 12 supervised 90-minute sessions weekly.
• Outcomes, including quality of life (IBD questionnaire) and disease activity, were assessed at 12 and 24 weeks.

Main Results:

• The yoga group demonstrated significantly improved disease-specific quality of life at both 12 and 24 weeks compared to the self-care group.
• Lower disease activity was observed in the yoga group after 24 weeks.
• No significant differences in serious or nonserious adverse events were noted between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Yoga serves as a safe and effective complementary therapy for ulcerative colitis patients experiencing diminished quality of life.
• Incorporating yoga may help manage symptoms and improve overall well-being in ulcerative colitis management.