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Transmitted by Sylvain Lonchay – Yoga Therapist, Geneva Lake, Switzerland. sylvain@inspire-centre.com
EFFECT OF VARIOUS YOGA PRACTICES ON CD4 COUNT IN TREATMENT EXPERIENCED HIV /AIDS PATIENTS : A RANDOMIZED PLACEBO CONTROLLED STUDY

Author : Guruvarya Shri Vishwas Mandlik, Dr. D G Saple, Dr. J P Ramnani #
Research carried out under the grant in aid from Cipla Pharmaceuticals Abstract :
HIV /AIDS has now become a chronic manageable disease like Diabetes with the long term usage of various Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ART).
But these drugs have got their limitations in form of various long term complications and possibility of drug resistance. Also rise in CD4 count doesn’t always match up with the control of viral load by these drugs. In this study 16 reliable patients who were already on ART for more than 6 months were selected and divided into two groups of 8 each and were followed up for 7 months. Control group of 8 patients continued to take ART with no yogic intervention whatsoever and the study group of 8 patients took ART and also practiced daily one hour yoga under proper guidance for 7 months.

Aim of the study was to see the difference in the rise in CD4 count & CD4% in study group as compared to controlled group at the end of 7 months.

Key words : Yoga, CD4 count, CD4%, ART (Anti-Retroviral Treatment) Note : CD4% = CD4 count * 100 Absolute Lymphocyte Count Absolute Lymphocyte Count (ALC) is calculated from CBC report as ALC = Totl Leucocyte Count * % of Lymphocytes 100

Patient’s Inclusion Criteria for Trial :
1) Reliable patient following up regularly in the centre for more than one year
2) Patient on ART for more than 6 months
3) Patient ready to give their written consent for the trial after understanding the nature of the trial Actual Study : Of 16 patients included in the trial 8 pairs were formed taking into consideration the age, sex of the patient and the ART regimen they were taking.
(Note : In one pair sex was not matching and in two pairs the age difference was more than 5 years. In rest of the patients it was comparable. ART regimen was same in all 8 pairs.)

Duratons of study was 7 months (from 3rd march 2007 to 3rd Sept. 2007)
Clinically all patients were stable i.e. not suffering from any major Oppurtunistic infections (OIs) at the start of the trial. Many of them had completed Anti-TB treatment in the past successfully. Their baseline investigations in form of Haemoglobin, Platelet Count, ESR, Total Leukocyte Count, Absolute Lymphocyte Count & CD4 count & CD4% was done at the start of the trial and again repeated at the end of 7 months.
These patients were followed up every monthly for clinical check up when they came to collect their ART medicines from the centre. On every visit their weight was checked , asked about their overall sense of well-being, whether they suffered from any major Oppurtunistic Infections during that month or suffered from and adverse reaction due to drugs. Of course written informed consent after explaining the aim of the trial was taken from all the 16 patients.
There was no drop out from the study and all 16 patients completed the trial properly. In study group 6 out of 8 patients came to the centre for yoga practice and 2 patients because of the nature of job were unable to come to centre and practiced yoga at home under the guidance provided by a recorded CD / Cassette specially made for them.

All 8 patients had completed their yog pravesh course at the start of the study & 6 out of 8 who came regularly at the centre also completed yog parichay course during the course of the study. One patient went ahead and became yog shikshak during the study period.

Results of the Study :
5 patients out of 8 patients in study group showed significant rise in CD4 count & CD4% as compared to their control group partner which was statistically significant. 3 patients in study group didn’t showed increase in CD4 count from their baseline & their control group partner there was significant decrease in CD4 count in 2 patients & in one patient there was no significant difference in CD4 count & %CD4.
The reason of non-rise in CD4 in these 3 study group patients could be due to age factor (>60 year in one patient) and irregularity in doing yogic practices in another 2 patients.

Various Yoga practices thought to improve the CD4 count under the guidance of our yoga Master Shri Vishwas Mandlik were included.