The effect of super brain yoga on the cognitive function of hemodialysis patients

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is one of the most important end-stage consequences of renal disease. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of super brain yoga on the cognitive function of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 HD patients who were assigned to the control (n = 30) and intervention (n = 30) groups. In addition to undergoing their routine HD, subjects in the intervention group performed yoga exercises for one month, at least three days a week, once a day. Cognitive function score of the patients at baseline and after the study (one month later) was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 using descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics, including independent t-test, paired t-test, and ANCOVA. Results: The mean score of cognitive function, urea, creatinine, and dialysis adequacy at baseline was 26.07 f 3.72, 133.83 f 34.19, 9.37 f 2.55, and 1.22 f 0.24 in the control group and28.97 f 1.62, 174.17 f 52.8, 13.38 f 4.16, and 1.26 f 0.22, in the intervention group, respectively. At the baseline, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of cognitive function, urea, creatinine (p-value = 0.001), but there was not in terms of dialysis adequacy (pvalue = 0.974). Therefore, the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to adjust their effects. The mean score of these variables after the study was 25.77 f 3.11, 146 f 42.03, 9.7 f 2.61, and 1.24 f 0.24 in the control group and 29.17 f 1.23, 156.03 f 37.67, 12.27 f 3.46, and 1.43 f 0.19 in the intervention group, respectively. There was a significant difference in cognitive function between two the groups (p = 0.05). Conclusion: Super brain yoga exercises seem to play an effective role in improving the cognitive function of HD patients. Therefore, super brain yoga is recommended as a complementary therapy for HD patients in nursing.