Effect of Tai Chi-Based Psychosomatic Rehabilitation Exercise on Physiological Function and Mental Health of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Tai Chi is an increasingly utilized aerobic rehabilitation exercise in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there remains debate regarding its effects on physiological function and mental health in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). This study aims to investigate the impact of Tai Chi-based rehabilitation exercises on physical and psychological health outcomes for CHD patients. Methods: By collecting data from 12 databases up to December 2022, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi on the physical function and psychological health among CHD patients. Results: We analyzed twenty qualified studies involving 2095 patients. Meta-analyses revealed that compared with conventional therapy groups, those who participated in Tai Chi-based interventions demonstrated significant improvements in physical function as measured by six-minute walk test (6MWT) [mean difference (MD) = 56.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) (38.50, 74.29), p < 0.01], maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0. 57, 95% CI (0.12, 1.03), p = 0.01], New York Heart Association (NYHA) class [relative risk (RR) = 1.34, 95% CI (1.18, 1.53), p < 0.01] and physical health components (PHC) [SMD = 1.23, 95% CI (0.76, 1.69), p < 0.01]. Additionally, Tai Chi participants showed greater improvement than control groups across various psychological parameters including anxiety scales [SMD = –0.80, 95% CI (–1.33, –0.28), p = 0.003], depression scales [SMD = –0.77, 95% CI (–1.32, –0.23), p = 0.005] and mental health components (MHC) [SMD = 1.27, 95% CI (0.76, –1.78), p < 0.01]. The GRADEpro (Grade Guideline Development Tool) indicated evidence levels ranging from very low to moderate. Conclusions: The present meta-analysis demonstrates that mind-body rehabilitation exercises based on Tai Chi can improve both physical and psychological health outcomes for CHD patients. These findings suggest that this exercise pattern may be a potential option for cardiovascular rehabilitation. PROSPERO Registration: The protocol for this systematic review and meta-analysis has been registered with PROSPERO International Prospective Systematic Reviews (No: CRD42022370021, http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO).

Keywords

• coronary heart disease
• rehabilitation
• tai chi
• meta-analysis