Effects of an Online Yoga Program on Exercise Capacity and Quality of Life in Bronchiectasis Patients (YOGA-BR)

Effects of an Eight-Week Online Yoga Program on Pulmonary Function, Exercise Capacity, Dyspnea, and Quality of Life in Patients With Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease characterized by persistent cough, sputum production, shortness of breath, and recurrent infections, which can reduce physical capacity and quality of life. Non-pharmacological interventions, such as exercise-based approaches, are increasingly used to support symptom management in these patients.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an eight-week online yoga program on exercise capacity, dyspnea severity, respiratory function, and quality of life in adults with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. A total of 70 participants were randomly assigned to either a yoga intervention group or a control group. The yoga group participated in supervised online sessions three times per week, including breathing exercises, postures, and relaxation techniques, while the control group received usual care without additional intervention.

Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after eight weeks using pulmonary function tests, the six-minute walk test (6MWT), the Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale, and the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). The study investigated whether yoga could provide a safe and effective complementary approach to improve symptoms and functional capacity in individuals with bronchiectasis.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Yoga; Bronchiectasis Adult
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Yoga Program

Detailed Description

Bronchiectasis is a chronic and progressive respiratory disorder characterized by irreversible bronchial dilatation, chronic airway inflammation, and recurrent infections. Patients commonly experience dyspnea, reduced exercise tolerance, fatigue, and impaired quality of life. In addition to pharmacological treatments, pulmonary rehabilitation and exercise-based interventions play an important role in symptom management and functional improvement.

Yoga is a mind-body intervention that integrates breathing exercises (pranayama), physical postures (asanas), and relaxation techniques. Previous studies in chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, have demonstrated that yoga can improve respiratory muscle function, ventilatory efficiency, and overall well-being. However, evidence regarding its effectiveness in bronchiectasis remains limited.

This randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate the effects of an eight-week online yoga program on pulmonary function, functional exercise capacity, dyspnea perception, and disease-specific quality of life in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Participants were recruited from the Department of Chest Diseases at Istanbul Medipol University between January 2025 and October 2025. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to either a yoga intervention group or a control group using a computer-generated randomization method.

The intervention consisted of 24 supervised online yoga sessions delivered over eight weeks (three sessions per week). Each session included structured breathing exercises, postural practices, and relaxation techniques designed to improve respiratory control, chest expansion, and physical awareness. The control group received standard care without additional intervention during the study period.

Outcome measures included spirometric parameters (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF, FEF25-75), functional exercise capacity assessed by the six-minute walk test (6MWT), dyspnea severity measured by the Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale, and health-related quality of life evaluated using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Assessments were performed at baseline and after the eight-week intervention period.

The study aimed to determine whether yoga could serve as a safe, feasible, and effective complementary intervention to improve functional outcomes and symptom burden in individuals with bronchiectasis, particularly in the context of accessible and remote rehabilitation models.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 70
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Beykoz
    • Istanbul, Beykoz, Turkey (Türkiye), 34810
      • Istanbul Medipol University, Faculty of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults aged 30-55 years
• Diagnosed with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis based on clinical and radiological findings
• Clinically stable condition
• No participation in a structured exercise program within the previous 3 months
• Voluntary agreement to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of additional respiratory diseases
• Acute exacerbation or antibiotic use within the previous 4 weeks
• Physical or cognitive impairments limiting participation
• Age above 55 years

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Yoga Group; Participants in this group received an eight-week supervised online yoga program consisting of breathing exercises, postures (asanas), and relaxation techniques, performed three times per week (24 sessions in total).	Behavioral: Yoga Program; The intervention consisted of an eight-week online supervised yoga program including breathing exercises (pranayama), physical postures (asanas), and relaxation techniques. Sessions were conducted three times per week, totaling 24 sessions. The program was designed to improve respiratory control, chest expansion, and overall physical awareness.
No Intervention: Control Group; Participants in this group received usual care without any additional intervention during the study period

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
6-Minute Walk Distance (6MWT)	The change in functional exercise capacity assessed by the six-minute walk test (6MWT), measured as the distance (in meters) walked in six minutes.	Baseline and 8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Dyspnea Severity (mMRC Scale)	Dyspnea severity assessed using the Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale (0-4), where higher scores indicate greater breathlessness.	Baseline and 8 weeks
Health-Related Quality of Life (SGRQ)	Disease-specific quality of life assessed using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), including symptom, activity, impact, and total scores (0-100 scale, higher scores indicate worse quality of life).	Baseline and 8 weeks
FEV1	Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1), Pulmonary function assessed as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) using spirometry.	Baseline and 8 weeks
FVC	Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Pulmonary function assessed as forced vital capacity (FVC) using spirometry.	Baseline and 8 weeks
FEV1/FVC	FEV1/FVC Ratio, Pulmonary function assessed as the ratio of FEV1 to FVC using spirometry.	Baseline and 8 weeks
PEF	Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), Pulmonary function assessed as peak expiratory flow (PEF) using spirometry.	Baseline and 8 weeks
FEF25-75	Forced Expiratory Flow (FEF25-75), Pulmonary function assessed as forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC (FEF25-75) using spirometry.	Baseline and 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istanbul Medipol University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 15, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 20, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): October 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 8, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 17, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 21, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 21, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 17, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Quality of Life; Yoga; Pulmonary Rehabilitation; Bronchiectasis; Respiratory Function
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Respiration Disorders; Bronchial Diseases; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Respiratory Aspiration; Bronchiectasis
• Other Study ID Numbers: MEDIPOL-BR-YOGA

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED
• IPD Plan Description: "De-identified participant data, study protocol, and statistical analysis plan will be shared with researchers upon reasonable request after publication of the main study results. Requests should be sent to the corresponding author via email, and access will be granted following review and approval by the study steering committee."

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No