A structured yoga program significantly reduces frequent ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) while improving patient quality of life and psychological well-being, according to findings from the VPC-Yoga study published September 17 in JACC: Advances. Conducted in India by Gautam Sharma, MD, DM, DSc, and colleagues, the single-center, prospective trial is believed to be the first randomized study to systematically evaluate yoga as an add-on therapy for this specific patient population.
Study Design and Patient Demographics
Researchers randomized 134 adults aged 15 to 80 years old 1:1 into either a yoga intervention group or a standard care group. Eligible participants exhibited a VPC burden of 5% or greater on 24-hour Holter monitoring, a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 35% or greater, and New York Heart Class I or II heart failure with structurally normal or abnormal hearts. All patients remained in sinus rhythm, stayed free from active ischemia, and maintained a stable medical regimen for a minimum of two weeks prior to enrollment.
The average patient age across the cohort was 47 years, and 58% of the participants were men. Baseline characteristics including body mass index (BMI) as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed no substantial differences between the cohorts. Patients assigned to the yoga intervention participated in 45-minute sessions three or more times per week, while both groups were followed for a total duration of 24 weeks.
VPC Burden Reductions Over Time
At baseline, investigators noted an imbalance between the two study arms: the median VPC burden in the yoga group stood at 13.02, compared to 21.06 in the standard care group. At the six-week mark, both groups experienced reductions in VPC burden—dropping to 11.62 in the yoga arm and 19.19 in the standard care arm—though these initial changes lacked statistical significance after adjusting for baseline values.
By 12 weeks, the reduction in VPC burden became more pronounced. The yoga group achieved a median reduction down to 6.55, whereas the standard care group dropped to 16.89. This difference reached statistical significance after adjustment, which the study authors cite as evidence of a significant and sustained therapeutic effect from the yoga intervention.
Quality of Life and Psychological Outcomes
Beyond electrophysiological changes, the 24-week follow-up revealed broad improvements in patient well-being. Participants in the yoga program reported significant gains in quality of life scores across multiple domains, evaluated via the 36-Item Short Form Survey. The yoga cohort also demonstrated superior scores on the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items, indicating a measurable decrease in psychological burden.
However, the intervention did not alter all measured clinical parameters. Researchers observed no significant differences between the yoga and standard care groups regarding LVEF, heart rate variability, or major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE).
Clinical Implications and Expert Recommendations
Based on these trial results, the study authors concluded that integrating a cost-effective, nonpharmacological intervention like yoga may prove useful in managing patients with frequent VPCs.
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