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Self-regulation evaluation of therapeutic yoga and walking for patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a pilot study.

Psychology, health & medicine
January 1, 2016
Leila Shahabi et al. (3 authors)
Journal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the efficacy of walking as a self-regulation strategy for symptom relief and mood management in IBS patients compared to yoga.

Results Summary

Walking showed significant improvements in negative affect, overall GI symptoms, and state anxiety from pre- to post-treatment, with continued decline in GI symptoms at 6-month follow-up. Participants in the walking group were more likely to maintain weekly practice compared to yoga.

Population

35 adult IBS patients (89% women, 11% men; mean age 36 ± 13 years).

Effective Dosage

16 biweekly group sessions.

Duration

8 weeks (biweekly sessions) with a 6-month follow-up.

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (12)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
walking program
decrease
negative affect
IBS patients
-
showing improvement
#1
Iyengar yoga
no change
IBS severity
IBS patients
-
no significant group by time effect
#2
walking program
no change
IBS severity
IBS patients
-
no significant group by time effect
#3
Iyengar yoga
decrease
IBS severity measures
IBS patients
-
significant decreases
#4
Iyengar yoga
decrease
visceral sensitivity
IBS patients
-
significant decreases
#5
Iyengar yoga
decrease
severity of somatic symptoms
IBS patients
-
significant decreases
#6
walking program
decrease
overall GI symptoms
IBS patients
-
significant decreases
#7
walking program
decrease
negative affect
IBS patients
-
significant decreases
#8
walking program
decrease
state anxiety
IBS patients
-
significant decreases
#9
walking program
decrease
overall GI symptoms
IBS patients
-
continued to significantly decline
#10
Iyengar yoga
increase
GI symptoms
IBS patients
-
rebounded toward baseline levels
#11
walking program
increase
self-regulated home practice
IBS patients
-
significantly more participants practiced at least weekly
#12
Abstract

With limited efficacy of medications for symptom relief, non-medication treatments may play an important role in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the most common functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of two self-regulation strategies for symptom relief and mood management in IBS patients. Thirty-five adult participants meeting ROME III criteria for IBS were enrolled, 27 of the 35 participants (77%) completed treatment and pre- and post-treatment visits (89% women, 11% men; M (SD) age = 36 (13)), and 20 of the 27 (74%) completed a 6-month follow-up. Participants were randomly assigned to 16 biweekly group sessions of Iyengar yoga or a walking program. Results indicated a significant group by time interaction on negative affect with the walking treatment showing improvement from pre- to post-treatment when compared to yoga (p < .05). There was no significant group by time effect on IBS severity. Exploratory analyses of secondary outcomes examined change separately for each treatment condition. From pre- to post-treatment, yoga showed significant decreases in IBS severity measures (p < .05), visceral sensitivity (p < .05), and severity of somatic symptoms (p < .05). Walking showed significant decreases in overall GI symptoms (p < .05), negative affect (p < .05), and state anxiety (p < .05). At 6-month follow-up, overall GI symptoms for walking continued to significantly decline, while for yoga, GI symptoms rebounded toward baseline levels (p < .05). When asked about self-regulated home practice at 6 months, significantly more participants in walking than in yoga practiced at least weekly (p < .05). In sum, results suggest that yoga and walking as movement-based self-regulatory behavioral treatments have some differential effects but are both beneficial for IBS patients, though maintenance of a self-regulated walking program may be more feasible and therefore more effective long term.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AdultFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansIrritable Bowel SyndromeMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsSelf-ControlTreatment OutcomeWalkingYoga
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations40
Citations/Year4.4
Relative Citation Ratio1.84
NIH Percentile72%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.95
Weight Score1.96
Normalized Score0.66
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