Ching-An Cheng1, Ya-Wen Chiu2, Dean Wu3, Yi-Chun Kuan4, Sheng-Ni Chen5, Ka-Wai Tam6. 1. School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. 2. Master Program in Global Health and Development, Health Policy and Care Research Center, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. 3. Department of Neurology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Sleep Center, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan. 4. Department of Neurology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. 5. School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: b101104048@tmu.edu.tw. 6. Center for Evidence-Based Health Care, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Cochrane Taiwan, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: kelvintam@h.tmu.edu.tw.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify empirical evidence on the effectiveness of Tai Chi in treating fibromyalgia (FM). METHOD: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare the effectiveness of Tai Chi and standard care or conventional therapeutic exercise in patients with FM. PubMed, Medline, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database were searched for relevant studies published before May 2019. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated using the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ), and the total score, pain score, sleep quality index, fatigue, depression, and quality of life were assessing among the patients. RESULTS: Six RCTs with 657 patients were included. Results of our meta-analysis indicated that Tai Chi exerts significant positive effects on reducing the total FIQ score at 12-16 weeks (standard mean difference [SMD]: -0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.90 to -0.31) and pain score (SMD: -0.88; 95% CI: -1.58 to -0.18), improving sleep quality (SMD: -0.57; 95% CI: -0.86 to -0.28), relieving fatigue (SMD: -0.92; 95% CI: -1.81 to -0.04), alleviating depression (SMD: -0.49; 95% CI: -0.97 to -0.01), and enhancing quality of life physically (SMD: 6.21; 95% CI: 3.18-9.24) and psychologically (SMD: 5.15; 95% CI: 1.50-8.81). CONCLUSION: Tai Chi exerts significantly greater effects on patients with FM than standard care; therefore, we suggest that Tai Chi can be used as an alternative treatment. However, more large-scale, high-quality, and multicenter trials are required to provide stronger evidence on the effectiveness of Tai Chi, as an alternative to aerobic exercise, compared with conventional therapeutic exercise.
OBJECTIVE: To identify empirical evidence on the effectiveness of Tai Chi in treating fibromyalgia (FM). METHOD: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare the effectiveness of Tai Chi and standard care or conventional therapeutic exercise in patients with FM. PubMed, Medline, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database were searched for relevant studies published before May 2019. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated using the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ), and the total score, pain score, sleep quality index, fatigue, depression, and quality of life were assessing among the patients. RESULTS: Six RCTs with 657 patients were included. Results of our meta-analysis indicated that Tai Chi exerts significant positive effects on reducing the total FIQ score at 12-16 weeks (standard mean difference [SMD]: -0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.90 to -0.31) and pain score (SMD: -0.88; 95% CI: -1.58 to -0.18), improving sleep quality (SMD: -0.57; 95% CI: -0.86 to -0.28), relieving fatigue (SMD: -0.92; 95% CI: -1.81 to -0.04), alleviating depression (SMD: -0.49; 95% CI: -0.97 to -0.01), and enhancing quality of life physically (SMD: 6.21; 95% CI: 3.18-9.24) and psychologically (SMD: 5.15; 95% CI: 1.50-8.81). CONCLUSION: Tai Chi exerts significantly greater effects on patients with FM than standard care; therefore, we suggest that Tai Chi can be used as an alternative treatment. However, more large-scale, high-quality, and multicenter trials are required to provide stronger evidence on the effectiveness of Tai Chi, as an alternative to aerobic exercise, compared with conventional therapeutic exercise.
Authors: Monika Müller; Florian Wüthrich; Andrea Federspiel; Roland Wiest; Niklaus Egloff; Stephan Reichenbach; Aristomenis Exadaktylos; Peter Jüni; Michele Curatolo; Sebastian Walther Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-02-02 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Byeongsang Oh; Diana Van Der Saag; Morita Morgia; Susan Carroll; Frances Boyle; Michael Back; Gillian Lamoury Journal: Am J Lifestyle Med Date: 2020-12-24