Pulmonary tuberculosis patients who practised yoga in addition to receiving ATT, showed a significant decrease in symptom scores, a gain in weight, and an increase in FVC and FEV  after 60 days. The group with breath awareness combined with ATT also showed a significant decrease in symptom scores, a gain in weight, and an increase in FEV. However, in all cases the magnitude of change was less than that of the yoga group. FVC did not increase significantly in the breath awareness group. There were also significantly more patients in the yoga group compared to the breath awareness group who showed improvement in sputum microscopy at 30 and 45 days and in sputum culture and radiogra- phy after 60 days. It has already been shown that the lung capacity increases following yoga practice in normal volunteers.  This was attributed to increased development of the respiratory musculature following the regular practice of yoga. The FVC is also an indicator of the extent of disease in pulmonary tuberculosis, with subsequent changes indicating progression or improvement. The increase in FVC in the yoga group after 60 days suggests improvement, while the absence of change in the breath awareness group could suggest ‘no improvement’ or could be related to the lower FVC values at baseline.
The sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis can result in a restrictive disorder, characterized by the follow- ing spirometry changes: lower FEV and FVC compared to normal, and a higher FEV1/FVC% than normal. Hence, the significant increase in FEV in both groups suggests that restriction may not have developed. The improvement in the symptom scores and weight in both groups on day 60, demonstrated the efficacy of the ATT. Since the magnitude of change was greater in the yoga group, this suggests that the practice of yoga facilitates the response to ATT.
The improvement in the yoga group with respect to bacteriological status (sputum microscopy, culture) and radiography suggests that yoga potentiates the action of chemotherapy in converting an active infection to a passive one. Macrophage activation by lymphokines produced by sensitized T cells is the predominant defence mechanism in tuberculosis. A replicated finding in the literature is the association between times of psychological distress and reduction in the proliferation of lymphocytes cultured with mitogens that activate T cells.  Further support for a relationship between psychosocial variables and altered immune responses was provided by an intervention (i.e. relaxation training), which decreased distress and increased NK cell activity. No immunological assessments were made in the present study and there are no previous reports on changes in immune status following yoga practice.
There was no difference between the number of patients in the two groups (14/25 in the yoga group and 15/23 in the breath awareness group), who returned for monthly drug collection, suggesting no difference in compliance between the groups. These results were comparable to previously reported treatment compliance with ATT alone, in India. The cited study assessed compliance with a short course of chemotherapy. The short course of chemotherapy had two phases (as did the present study): an intensive phase (also of 2 months) and a continuation phase (which lasted 6 months). During the continuation phase, 44% of patients did not comply. In the present study, the percentage of patients who did not comply during the continuation phase was 44% for the yoga group (11/25) and 35% (8/23) for the breath awareness group. The present study suggests a complementary role for yoga in the management of pulmonary tuberculosis, with symptomatic relief, better weight gain, increased lung capacity, and better sputum conversion during the intensive phase of ATT. In the breath awareness group as compared to the yoga group, the lesser magnitude of change in symptom scores, weight gain, and FEV , and the difference in bacteriological status, implies that yoga with the components of body movements, breath regulation, relaxation and breath awareness, was of greater use in these patients, compared with awareness of breath alone. However, in view of the sample size and the trial being restricted to the intensive phase of ATT, these findings must be considered preliminary.