Quality evaluation of systematic reviews of the effects of Baduanjin on diabete

Abstract

Objective: Recently, the effects of Baduanjin (a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise) on diabetes have attracted increasing attention, and relevant systematic reviews (SRs) have emerged. However, the qualities of these SRs vary markedly, and their conclusions are inconsistent, which is not conducive to guiding decision-making. We sought to assess the quality of these SRs and provide more evidence for diabetes treatment. Methods: A literature search was conducted in 7 databases from inception to December 1st, 2021. SRs of randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of Baduanjin were identified. A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) checklist, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement, and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system were applied to evaluate the quality of the SRs. Results: Ten SRs were identified. All SRs were judged as critically low methodological quality by the AMSTAR-2 checklist. The total PRISMA score of the included SRs ranged from 15 to 21, and the mean score was 18.60 (1.90), indicating that all SRs had partial reporting deficits. Sixty outcomes were reported in the included studies, of which 25 (41.67%) were judged as low quality, and 34 (56.67%) as very low quality according to the GRADE system, indicating that the overall evidence quality of outcomes was not high. Conclusion: Baduanjin seems to be an effective therapy for diabetes in improving glucose and lipid metabolism, mental health, quality of life, and waist-hip ratio (WHR). The overall quality of the SRs was less than optimal. This conclusion should be treated with caution, and researchers should conduct higher-quality clinical studies following AMSTAR-2checklist, PRISMA statement, and GRADE system in the future.

Keywords

• Baduanjin
• Diabetes
• Systematic review
• Randomized controlled trials
• AMSTAR-2
• PRISMA