Effects of traditional Chinese exercise on patients with cognitive impairment: A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.
Chen Li, Dongxiang Zheng, Jinglan Luo
PMID 33605528WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults with cognitive impairment who practised baduanjin or tai chi in trials had better cognitive scores than controls.
Liuzijue and qigong had too few trials to judge. Falls were reported but not linked to exercise.
Key findings
01In pairwise meta-analysis, baduanjin, tai chi, liuzijue and qigong had significant improvements in global cognition, but liuzijue and qigong rested on 2 and 1 studies.
02The network analysis found baduanjin most likely to rank first (53%) and tai chi second (40%).
03No adverse events related to TCE were reported, although one participant from each group in one study experienced a fall with a bone fracture.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Most included studies were done in China, so results may not apply to other settings. Allocation concealment details were not reported in most studies, which could introduce selection bias. The tai chi results varied widely between studies. Liuzijue was compared in 2 studies and qigong in only 1 study. The authors state that neither study quality nor variation was strong enough to draw a solid conclusion. Changes in cognitive assessment scores do not necessarily equal a clinically relevant change.
Declared interests
The authors state no conflicts of interest. The paper gives no ethical statement.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that all four traditional Chinese exercise types have proven clinical benefit or that baduanjin is clearly better than tai chi. Liuzijue and qigong were based on very few trials, and the included studies had unclear allocation concealment and wide variation in tai chi results.