Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28714735›Full record

Trial reportJournal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.)2017

Effect of Yoga Breathing (Pranayama) on Exercise Tolerance in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

David A Kaminsky, Kalpalatha K Guntupalli, Joan Lippmann, Stephanie M Burns, Melissa A Brock, Joan Skelly, Michael DeSarno, Heidi Pecott-Grimm, Ali Mohsin, Catherine LaRock-McMahon and 3 more

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 40 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
40citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
7.7field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04020081 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2018, after this paper: background citation

A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Effect of Yoga Exercises and Meditation on Lung Volume, Respiratory Impedance, 6-minute Walk Distance and Quality of Life in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD) Patients.

TypeinterventionalSponsorChest Research Foundation, IndiaRan2018 to 2020Enrolled60ConditionsCOPD, Obstructive Pulmonary DiseaseArmsYoga breathing exercises and Meditation
NCT07737587 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Yoga-Based Breathing Exercises Performed in a Salt-Cave Environment Versus a Standard Clinical Setting in Smokers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorSinop UniversityRan2022 to 2023Enrolled60ConditionsTobacco Smoking, Respiratory FunctionArmsYoga-Based Breathing Exercise Program in a Salt-Cave Environment, Yoga-Based Breathing Exercise Program in a Standard Clinical Setting
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

40 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 100 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  4. Breathing techniques to reduce symptoms in people with serious respiratory illness: a systematic review.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2024
    Pooled it
  5. Effect of breathing exercises on patients with interstitial lung disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2024
    Pooled it
  6. Meditative movement for breathlessness in advanced COPD or cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2023
    Pooled it
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  14. Nature prescription for patients with chronic respiratory diseases.The World Allergy Organization journal · 2026
    Review
  15. Investigating the Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation via Social Media Versus Brochures on General Health in Nonhospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.The Canadian journal of infectious diseases & medical microbiology = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses et de la microbiologie medicale · 2025
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

David A Kaminsky1 Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Vermont College of Medicine , Burlington, VT.
Kalpalatha K Guntupalli3 Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, TX.
Joan Lippmann2 Vermont Lung Center, University of Vermont College of Medicine , Burlington, VT.
Stephanie M Burns2 Vermont Lung Center, University of Vermont College of Medicine , Burlington, VT.
Melissa A Brock3 Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, TX.
Joan Skelly4 Biostatistics Unit, University of Vermont College of Medicine , Burlington, VT.
Michael DeSarno4 Biostatistics Unit, University of Vermont College of Medicine , Burlington, VT.
Heidi Pecott-Grimm2 Vermont Lung Center, University of Vermont College of Medicine , Burlington, VT.
Ali Mohsin3 Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, TX.
Catherine LaRock-McMahon2 Vermont Lung Center, University of Vermont College of Medicine , Burlington, VT.
Penney Warren5 Private Yoga Practice , Houston, TX.
Martha C Whitney6 Private Yoga Practice , Burlington, VT.
Nicola A Hanania3 Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, TX.
University of Vermont · USBaylor College of Medicine · USBurlington College · USSWOG Cancer Research Network · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivePulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, many patients do not have access to pulmonary rehabilitation programs. We hypothesized that an alternative to pulmonary rehabilitation to improve exercise tolerance is the practice of pranayama, or yoga breathing, which could be done independently at home. We also sought to determine whether yoga nonprofessionals could adequately teach pranayama to patients.

designProof-of-concept, randomized, double-blind, controlled pilot trial. SETTINGS/LOCATION: Two academic pulmonary practices. SUBJECTS: Forty-three patients with symptomatic, moderate-to-severe COPD.

interventionsTwelve weeks of pranayama plus education versus education alone. Two yoga professionals trained the research coordinators to conduct all pranayama teaching and monitored the quality of the teaching and the practice of pranayama by study participants. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was a change in the 6-min walk distance (6MWD). Secondary outcomes included changes in lung function, markers of oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, and measures of dyspnea and quality of life.

resultsThe 6MWD increased in the pranayama group (least square mean [95% confidence interval] = 28 m [-5 to 61]) and decreased in the control group (-15 m [-47 to 16]), with a nearly significant treatment effect (p = 0.06) in favor of pranayama. Pranayama also resulted in small improvements in inspiratory capacity and air trapping. Both groups had significant improvements in various measures of symptoms, but no overall differences in respiratory system impedance or markers of oxidative stress or systemic inflammation.

conclusionThis pilot study successfully demonstrated that pranayama was associated with improved exercise tolerance in patients with COPD. Lay personnel were able to adequately teach patients to practice pranayama. These results suggest that pranayama may have significant clinical benefits for symptomatic patients with COPD, a concept that needs to be confirmed in future, larger clinical trials.

Indexed as

YogaAgedBreathing ExercisesExercise ToleranceFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructivebreathing exercisesCOPDpranayamapulmonary rehabilitationyoga

Identifiers

PMID28714735
PMCPMC5610410
OpenAlexW2735770912

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.