Photo Credit: Drazen
The following is a summary of “Augmentation of Interstitial Cystitis–Bladder Pain Syndrome Treatment With Meditation and Yoga,” published in the January 2025 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology by Dao et al.
This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of incorporating yoga and meditation into the standard care regimen for women with interstitial cystitis–bladder pain syndrome (IC-BPS). A randomized trial was conducted comparing two groups: a control group receiving standard care alone and a mind-body group receiving standard care supplemented with yoga and meditation practices. Standard care adheres to the guidelines the American Urological Association set forth involving behavioral modifications or pharmacological treatments. Participants in the mind-body group engaged with a commercially available meditation application and a standardized yoga tutorial video in addition to their standard treatment.
The primary outcome was measured using the modified Global Response Assessment (GRA), categorizing participants as responders (moderately or markedly improved) or nonresponders at 12 weeks. Based on a power analysis with α=5% and β=80%, the study required 82 participants to detect a 30% difference in the GRA between the groups. Secondary outcomes assessed included changes in the Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI), Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI), pain intensity, pain interference, anxiety, depression, self-efficacy scores, and treatment escalation over the 12-week period.
The study randomized 97 participants (49 in the mind-body group and 48 in the control group), ensuring comparable baseline characteristics and symptom profiles. At the 12-week mark, the mind-body group demonstrated a significantly higher proportion of GRA responders than the control group (72.1% vs. 25.6%, relative risk [RR] 2.8, 95% CI, 1.6–4.6). Weekly GRA scores throughout the study period also favored the mind-body group. Improvements in the ICPI, ICSI, and pain scores were more pronounced in the mind-body group, with relative risks of 1.8 (95% CI, 0.5–3.1), 1.9 (95% CI, 0.2–3.6), and 1.4 (95% CI, 0.4–2.5), respectively. Additionally, the mind-body group exhibited a substantially lower rate of treatment escalation (4.4% vs. 33.3%, RR 0.13, 95% CI, 0.03–0.55).
In conclusion, integrating yoga and meditation into standard IC-BPS care significantly enhanced treatment responses and reduced the need for additional interventions. This mind-body approach appears to offer a beneficial adjunctive therapy for managing IC-BPS symptoms.
