Understanding the Effect of Rajyog Meditation on Biomolecular and Behavioural Co-relates of Stress in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Abstract

Background: The role of psychological health in impacting the risk factors for heart disease is well recognized. Patients undergoing corrective surgery for Coronary Artery Disease undergo much anxiety and depression that negatively impact the overall health of the heart. Higher levels of biomarkers that promote atherosclerosis is frequently found in individuals with negative psychological health. Improving psychological health can lead to healthier surgical outcome. Various relaxation techniques including meditation are used to relax and reduce a person’s stress and anxiety and are gaining importance in peri-operative stress management procedures. Aim: It was the aim of present study to evaluate the role of Rajyog meditation in bringing down surgery related stress levels in patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery. This was sought to be achieved by measuring the variations in their circulating plasma endothelin-1 levels (molecular stress marker) after being imparted with relaxation therapy in the form of meditation followed by association analysis with subjective indicators of stress. Design: Randomized controlled Trial Setting: A total of 60 patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery, thirty each in non-intervention and intervention groups and fulfilling the inclusion criterion were enrolled in the study. Intervention: Relaxation therapy in the form of Rajyoga Meditation was imparted for one month to patients only in the intervention group, before they underwent Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery. Main outcome measures: Blood samples were collected before meditation, post-meditation/before surgery, post-meditation/after surgery and circulating plasma Endothelin-1 levels measured by sandwich ELISA. Clinical parameters were determined based on analysis of compiled questionnaires. Results: The sleep quality improved and anxiety levels reduced after meditation (p = 0.002 and p= 0.005 respectively) in the intervention group as a whole. There was a drop in median plasma Endothelin-1 levels from 1.68 pg/ml to 1.38 pg/ml after meditation in the intervention group and a concomitant rise of median plasma Endothelin-1 levels from 1.0 pg/ml to 2.05 pg/ml in the non-intervention group. Conclusions: The findings suggest that Rajyog meditation can bring about a beneficial difference in the subjective clinical parameters of patients and also a drop in plasma Endothelin-1 levels distinct from a rise in its levels in the non-intervention group.