Yoga Program for High-Grade Glioma Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy and Their Family Caregivers

Kathrin Milbury, Smitha Mallaiah, Anita Mahajan, Terri Armstrong, Shioa-Pei Weathers, Kathryn E Moss, Nazli Goktepe, Amy Spelman, Lorenzo Cohen, Kathrin Milbury, Smitha Mallaiah, Anita Mahajan, Terri Armstrong, Shioa-Pei Weathers, Kathryn E Moss, Nazli Goktepe, Amy Spelman, Lorenzo Cohen

Abstract

Background: Despite their high symptom burden and poor prognosis, evidence-based supportive care interventions for adults with high-grade glioma (HGG) and their caregivers are lacking. Thus, we aimed to establish feasibility of a patient-caregiver dyadic yoga program (DYP) for newly diagnosed HGG patients and their family caregivers targeting quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes.

Method: In this single-arm pilot trial, dyads participated in a 12-session DYP program across the course of patients' radiotherapy. The intervention focused on breathing exercises, gentle movements, and guided meditations. We tracked feasibility data and assessed levels of cancer-related symptoms (MD Anderson Symptom Inventory [MDASI]), depressive symptoms (Centers for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale), fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory), sleep disturbances (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), and overall mental and physical QOL (36-item Short-Form Survey [SF-36]) at baseline and post-DYP, which was at the end of radiotherapy.

Results: We approached 6 dyads of which 5 dyads (86%) consented and completed all 12 sessions and pre/post assessments. All patients (mean age: 52 years, 80% female, 80% grade IV) and caregivers (mean age: 58 years, 80% female, 60% spouses) perceived benefit from the program. Paired t tests revealed a marginally significant, yet clinically meaningful, decrease in patient's cancer symptoms ( t = 2.32, P = .08; MDASI mean; pre = 1.75, post = 1.04). There were clinically significant reductions in patient sleep disturbances (PSQI mean: pre = 10.75, post = 8.00) and improvements in patient and caregiver mental QOL (MCS of SF-36 mean: pre = 42.35, post = 52.34, and pre = 45.14, post = 51.43, respectively).

Conclusions: This novel supportive care program appears to be safe, feasible, acceptable, and subjectively useful for HGG patients and their caregivers. There was also preliminary evidence regarding QOL treatment gains for both patients and caregivers.

Keywords: dyadic intervention; family caregivers; high-grade glioma; quality of life; yoga.

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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