ASPO Abstracts
Randomized Controlled Trial of a Dyadic Yoga Intervention for Patients with Brain Tumors and their Family Caregivers
Category: Survivorship & Health Outcomes/Comparative Effectiveness Research, Behavioral Science & Health Communication
Conference Year: 2018
Abstract Body:
Although the mean time of survival for patients with brain tumors is between 2-7 years, little is known about effective behavioral intervention to manage the quality of life (QOL) of this understudied patient population. Also, despite the high physical and psychological burden among family caregivers, the needs of caregivers generally remain unaddressed. Thus, we aimed to establish the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a Dyadic Yoga (DY) intervention integrating gentle exercise with relaxation techniques to address physical and psychological symptoms. Adults with glioma undergoing at least 5 weeks of radiotherapy (RT) and their family caregivers were included. Dyads were randomized to a 12-session DY program or a waitlist control (WLC) group. Patients and caregivers in both groups completed measures of depressive symptoms (CES-D), cancer-related symptoms (MDASI) and overall QOL (SF-36) at baseline and post-DY, which was at the end of RT. We approached 36 dyads of which 21 (58%) consented. One dyad withdrew prior to randomization. Patients (mean age: 46 yrs., 58% male, 68% KPS=90) and caregivers (mean age: 51 yrs., 68% female, 50% spouses) completed a mean of 11.67 sessions. All of them completed baseline and follow-up assessments. We examined differences scores separately for patients and caregivers for each outcome using ANCOVA controlling for participants’ age, sex, and patient KPS. The yoga group revealed marginally significant reductions in depressive symptoms in patients (p<.09; means, DY=-7.73 vs WLC= -1.17; d=.64) and caregivers (p<.09; means, DY=-5.06 vs WLC=2.56, d=.86) and patients’ cancer-related symptoms (p<.09, means, DY=-1.60 vs WLC=-.26, d=.69) relative to the WLC group. We also found clinically significant improvements in the mental component summary of the SF-36 for patients (means, DY=-6.54 vs WLC= 1.62; d=.35) and caregivers (means, DY=2.87 vs. WLC= -2.36; d=.35) in the DY group relative to the WLC group. All participants in the DY group indicated that they perceived benefit from the program and found it useful. As the DY program appears to be feasible and beneficial to patients and caregivers regarding self-reported QOL outcomes with medium and large effects, a larger trial with a more stringent control group is warranted.
Keywords: Glioma, family caregivers, dyadic intervention, yoga, quality of life