Integrating Adjunct Yoga Therapy into Hemodialysis Care: A Feasibility Pilot Study for Improving Psychological Well-being in End-stage Kidney Disease Patients.

Background and objectives: Current medical treatments and surgeries for end stage renal disease (ESRD) affect disease control and its complications. Yoga has been recognized for its potential impact on mental health in various clinical populations. Hemodialysis patients often experience heightened psychological distress, which can adversely affect treatment adherence and overall health outcomes. This feasibility pilot study aimed to investigate the integration of yoga therapy into hemodialysis care as a means of improving psychological well-being in patients with ESRD.

Methods/design: A single-arm pre- and postdesign was used for 20 ESRD patients on hemodialysis. They were recruited from the dialysis center of a tertiary care hospital. One month of structured yoga intervention for 60 min/day was provided to the participants as an adjunct, along with their conventional management. Subjective psychological measures, such as pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, symptom severity, and quality of life, were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results: The data on ESRD patients on hemodialysis demonstrated a Yoga Performance Assessment score of 23.150 ± 0.875, demonstrating the feasibility of the study. All the participants completed the study period. With no dropouts, we considered the intervention to be feasible. Significant pre- and postmean differences across several psychological domains were found in the visual analog scale for pain, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Conclusion: This study offers valuable preliminary evidence regarding the feasibility and potential efficacy of integrating yoga therapy into hemodialysis care and psychological well-being.