Trial Outcomes & Findings for Slow Yogic-Derived Breathing and Respiration and Cardiovascular Variability in Spinal Cord Injury Patients (NCT NCT05480618)

NCT ID: NCT05480618

Last Updated: 2026-04-28

Results Overview

Heart rate variability assessed in the frequency domain during paced or unpaced breathing via Welch's modified periodogram method. Average power calculated by integrating the power spectral density in the low and high frequency bands.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

17 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

7 minutes of paced or unpaced breathing

Results posted on

2026-04-28

Participant Flow

All participants had a spinal cord injury and were wheelchair users. After screening and signing an informed consent, participants receive instruction on how to perform the different breathing patterns (arms). After 2 instructional sessions and 2 weeks of practice on their own a study visit was scheduled. Participants completed all arms in a random order in a single study visit.

17 individuals signed an informed consent. 12 completed a study visit. All breathing patterns/milestones were completed by the 12 individuals who completed the study.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Spinal Cord Injury
Individuals with a spinal cord injury.
Breathing Familiarization (2 weeks)
STARTED
17
Breathing Familiarization (2 weeks)
COMPLETED
12
Breathing Familiarization (2 weeks)
NOT COMPLETED
5
Study Visit
STARTED
12
Study Visit
Unpaced Breathing
12
Study Visit
0.25 Hz Breathing
12
Study Visit
0.083 Hz Breathing
12
Study Visit
Box Breathing
12
Study Visit
Extended Exhale Breathing
12
Study Visit
Ujjayi Breathing
12
Study Visit
COMPLETED
12
Study Visit
NOT COMPLETED
0

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Slow Yogic-Derived Breathing and Respiration and Cardiovascular Variability in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Spinal Cord Injury
n=12 Participants
Individuals with a spinal cord injury who completed the study visit.
Age, Continuous
33.25 Years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.97 • n=9 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
3 Participants
n=9 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
9 Participants
n=9 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
n=9 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
n=9 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
n=9 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
4 Participants
n=9 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
8 Participants
n=9 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
n=9 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=9 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
1 Participants
n=9 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
11 Participants
n=9 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=9 Participants
Body Mass Index
26.2 kg/m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.9 • n=9 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 7 minutes of paced or unpaced breathing

Population: Repeated measures in 12 individuals during 1 study visit

Heart rate variability assessed in the frequency domain during paced or unpaced breathing via Welch's modified periodogram method. Average power calculated by integrating the power spectral density in the low and high frequency bands.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
0.083 Hz Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 6 second inhale; 6 second exhale
Box Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz. Duty Cycle: 3 second inhale; 3 second hold: 3 second exhale: 3 second hold.
Extended Exhale Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 4 sec Inhale: 8 sec exhale
Ujjayi Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 6 sec Inhale: 6 sec exhale with throat resistance
Unpaced Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: Variable Duty Cycle: Variable
0.25 Hz Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.25 Hz Duty Cycle: 2 second inhale: 2 second exhale
HRV
Low Frequency R-R Interval Power (0.04-15 Hz)
3173 ms^2
Standard Error 913
2819 ms^2
Standard Error 681
4008 ms^2
Standard Error 969
5490 ms^2
Standard Error 1465
1421 ms^2
Standard Error 412
813 ms^2
Standard Error 307
HRV
High Frequency R-R Interval Power(0.15-40 Hz)
477 ms^2
Standard Error 203
722 ms^2
Standard Error 234
897 ms^2
Standard Error 378
759 ms^2
Standard Error 468
756 ms^2
Standard Error 247
802 ms^2
Standard Error 304
HRV
Total R-R interval Power (0.04 - 0.40 Hz)
3650 ms^2
Standard Error 1042
3590 ms^2
Standard Error 848
4905 ms^2
Standard Error 1159
6249 ms^2
Standard Error 1854
2177 ms^2
Standard Error 637
1615 ms^2
Standard Error 496

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 7 minutes of paced or unpaced breathing

Population: Repeated measures in the same 12 participants in 1 study visit.

Systolic blood pressure variability from a Finometer assessed in the frequency domain via Welch's modified periodogram method. Average power calculated by integrating the power spectral density in the low and high frequency bands.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
0.083 Hz Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 6 second inhale; 6 second exhale
Box Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz. Duty Cycle: 3 second inhale; 3 second hold: 3 second exhale: 3 second hold.
Extended Exhale Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 4 sec Inhale: 8 sec exhale
Ujjayi Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 6 sec Inhale: 6 sec exhale with throat resistance
Unpaced Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: Variable Duty Cycle: Variable
0.25 Hz Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.25 Hz Duty Cycle: 2 second inhale: 2 second exhale
BPV
Low Frequency Systolic Blood Pressure Power (0.04 - 1.5 Hz)
6.1 mmHg^2
Standard Error 1.8
7.6 mmHg^2
Standard Error 1.7
6.9 mmHg^2
Standard Error 1.4
15.1 mmHg^2
Standard Error 4.0
2.6 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.7
1.4 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.5
BPV
High Frequency Systolic Blood Pressure Power(0.15 - 0.40 Hz)
0.7 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.2
2.5 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.5
0.9 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.2
1.7 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.7
1.2 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.2
1.5 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.4
BPV
Total Systolic Blood Pressure Power(0.04 - 0.40 Hz)
6.8 mmHg^2
Standard Error 1.8
10.2 mmHg^2
Standard Error 1.7
7.8 mmHg^2
Standard Error 1.4
16.8 mmHg^2
Standard Error 4
3.8 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.8
2.8 mmHg^2
Standard Error 0.7

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 7 minutes of paced or unpaced breathing

Population: Repeated measures in 12 participants made in 1 study visit.

Peripheral oxygen saturation during paced or unpaced breathing

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
0.083 Hz Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 6 second inhale; 6 second exhale
Box Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz. Duty Cycle: 3 second inhale; 3 second hold: 3 second exhale: 3 second hold.
Extended Exhale Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 4 sec Inhale: 8 sec exhale
Ujjayi Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 6 sec Inhale: 6 sec exhale with throat resistance
Unpaced Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: Variable Duty Cycle: Variable
0.25 Hz Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.25 Hz Duty Cycle: 2 second inhale: 2 second exhale
SpO2
97.2 % O2 satuation
Standard Error 0.3
96.6 % O2 satuation
Standard Error 0.5
96.7 % O2 satuation
Standard Error 0.4
97.6 % O2 satuation
Standard Error 0.3
96.1 % O2 satuation
Standard Error 0.6
96.9 % O2 satuation
Standard Error 0.5

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 7 minutes of paced or unpaced breathing

Population: Repeated measurements in 12 participants made during 1 study visit.

Expired CO2 from a nasal cannula

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
0.083 Hz Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 6 second inhale; 6 second exhale
Box Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz. Duty Cycle: 3 second inhale; 3 second hold: 3 second exhale: 3 second hold.
Extended Exhale Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 4 sec Inhale: 8 sec exhale
Ujjayi Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.083 Hz Duty Cycle: 6 sec Inhale: 6 sec exhale with throat resistance
Unpaced Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: Variable Duty Cycle: Variable
0.25 Hz Breathing
n=12 Participants
Frequency: 0.25 Hz Duty Cycle: 2 second inhale: 2 second exhale
Expired Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
36 mmHg
Standard Error 1
37 mmHg
Standard Error 1
36 mmHg
Standard Error 1
32 mmHg
Standard Error 2
35 mmHg
Standard Error 1
31 mmHg
Standard Error 1

Adverse Events

Spinal Cord Injury

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

J. Andrew Taylor

Spaulding Hospital Cambridge

Phone: 617-753-5503

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place