TY - JOUR
T1 - Effectiveness of Tai Chi on fibromyalgia patients
T2 - A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
AU - Cheng, Ching An
AU - Chiu, Ya Wen
AU - Wu, Dean
AU - Kuan, Yi Chun
AU - Chen, Sheng Ni
AU - Tam, Ka Wai
N1 - Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019/10/1
Y1 - 2019/10/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Fibromyalgia
KW - Fibromyalgia impact questionnaire
KW - Meta-analysis
KW - Symptom management
KW - Tai Chi
UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85068913201&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&st1=Effectiveness+of+Tai+Chi+on+fibromyalgia+patients%3a+A+meta-analysis+of+randomized+controlled+trials&st2=&sid=c14b714d5f6f73b657183f8d96995748&sot=b&sdt=b&sl=113&s=TITLE-ABS-KEY%28Effectiveness+of+Tai+Chi+on+fibromyalgia+patients%3a+A+meta-analysis+of+randomized+controlled+trials%29&relpos=0&citeCnt=0&searchTerm=#
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85068913201&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.07.007
DO - 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.07.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 31519264
AN - SCOPUS:85068913201
SN - 0965-2299
VL - 46
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - Complementary Therapies in Medicine
JF - Complementary Therapies in Medicine
ER -