Department of Physical Medicine, National Hospital of Colombo, Colombo, 00700, Sri Lanka.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, 00800, Sri Lanka.
Syst Rev. 2024 Jan 2;13(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s13643-023-02412-0.
There is a paucity of data on effects of long-term meditation on respiration. This systematic review summarized selected respiratory function parameters in healthy long-term meditators (LTMs) at rest, during meditation and their associations with meditation practice variables.
A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE (Ovid), Scopus, Proquest Dissertation and Thesis Global databases, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar was performed from year 1950 to August 15th, 2023. Keywords "meditation," "long-term meditation," and respiratory/pulmonary/lung function and spirometry were used. Controlled-trials and observational studies exploring respiratory parameters in healthy LTMs published in English were included. Two independent reviewers selected studies, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the evidence. The Joanna-Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools and the Single-Case Reporting Guideline In BEhavioural Interventions Statement were used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Effect estimates of some outcomes were synthesized using alternative methods and data for other outcomes synthesized narratively as a meta-analysis was not possible.
Nine studies comprising 3 case-control, 3 cross-sectional, and 3 single-subject study designs, involving 433 participants that met the eligibility criteria, were included. Two studies reported slower resting RR among LTMs compared to controls [SMD = - 2.98, 95% CI (- 4.48 to - 1.47), overall-effect (z-score) = 3.88 (p < 0.001), I = 69%] with similar trend reported in the third study (MD = - 1.6, p = 0.053). Three studies reported slower RR in LTMs during meditation compared to baseline. Slower resting RR and mean RR change during meditation compared to baseline significantly negatively associated with meditation experience. PEFR was significantly higher in LTMs than controls [MD = 1.67, 95% CI (0.19-3.15), z-score = 2.21 (p = 0.03)]. No significant difference was observed in tidal volume [SDM = 0.93, 95% CI (- 1.13 to 2.99), z-score = 0.89 (p = 0.37), I = 96%] and vital capacity [SDM = 1.25, 95% CI (- 0.45 to 2.95), z-score = 1.44 (p = 0.15), I = 94%] of LTMs compared to controls.
Long-term meditation appears to be associated with slower baseline RR, and immediate reduction in RR during meditation, where greater practice amplifies the effects. Evidence on spirometry parameters in LTMs with ≥ 3 years of practice was limited.
关于长期冥想对呼吸影响的数据很少。本系统综述总结了健康长期冥想者（LTM）在休息、冥想期间的部分呼吸功能参数，及其与冥想练习变量的关系。
从 1950 年到 2023 年 8 月 15 日，对 PubMed、EMBASE（Ovid）、Scopus、ProQuest 学位论文和全球数据库、CENTRAL 和 Google Scholar 进行了系统检索。使用了“冥想”、“长期冥想”和“呼吸/肺/肺部功能和肺活量测定”的关键词。纳入了探讨健康 LTM 者呼吸参数的对照试验和观察性研究，这些研究发表于英文期刊。两名独立的评审员选择研究、提取数据并评估证据的质量。使用循证医学中心的 Joanna-Briggs 工具和行为干预措施中的单一案例报告指南评估纳入研究的方法学质量。本综述遵循系统评价和荟萃分析的首选报告项目（PRISMA）指南。由于无法进行荟萃分析，因此使用替代方法综合了部分结局的效应估计值，而其他结局的综合则采用叙述性方法。
纳入了 9 项研究，包括 3 项病例对照研究、3 项横断面研究和 3 项单病例研究设计，共涉及 433 名符合入选标准的参与者。两项研究报告称，与对照组相比，LTM 者的静息 RR 较慢[SMD=-2.98，95%置信区间（-4.48 至-1.47），总体效应（z 分数）=3.88（p<0.001），I=69%]，第三项研究也有类似趋势（MD=-1.6，p=0.053）。三项研究报告称，与基线相比，LTM 者在冥想期间的 RR 较慢。RR 较慢的 RR 与冥想经验显著负相关。与对照组相比，LTM 者的最大呼气流速（PEFR）明显更高[MD=1.67，95%置信区间（0.19-3.15），z 分数=2.21（p=0.03）]。LTM 者的潮气量[SDM=0.93，95%置信区间（-1.13 至 2.99），z 分数=0.89（p=0.37），I=96%]和肺活量[SDM=1.25，95%置信区间（-0.45 至 2.95），z 分数=1.44（p=0.15），I=94%]与对照组相比无显著差异。
长期冥想似乎与静息 RR 较慢以及冥想期间 RR 立即减少有关，而练习时间越长，效果越明显。关于长期冥想者≥3 年练习的肺活量测定参数的证据有限。
