Randomised clinical non-inferiority trial of breathing-based meditation and cognitive processing therapy for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans.
BMJ Open August 25, 2022 Peter J Bayley, R Jay Schulz-Heik, Julia S Tang et al.
A randomized non-inferiority trial compared Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), a breathing-based group program, with individual cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 85 veterans (mean age 56.9, 61% white, 75 men). At 6 weeks, PTSD symptoms (measured by the PCL-C) decreased by 5.6 points with SKY and 6.8 points with CPT. The difference of -1.2 points fell within the prespecified non-inferiority margin of 10 points, indicating SKY was not inferior to CPT. SKY remained non-inferior at 1-month and 1-year follow-ups for PTSD symptoms, but was inferior to CPT on depression and affect measures at 1 year. Dropout rates were similar (27% SKY, 34% CPT). The authors suggest SKY merits further consideration as a PTSD treatment.