Effects of cardiac rehabilitation qigong exercise in patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing phase III rehabilitation: A randomized controlled trial (with video)

• Main Authors: Fengrun Zhao, Yin Lin, Lindan Zhai, Can Gao, Jianhong Zhang, Qun Ye, Christopher John Zaslawski, Fangfang Ma, Yichen Wang, Chen Liang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2018-10-01
• Series: Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095754818300036

Objective: To explore the effectiveness and safety of cardiac rehabilitation qigong exercise in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing phase III rehabilitation. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial. A total of 59 stable CAD patients undergoing phase III rehabilitation treated in Sports Medicine Hospital from March 2017 to September 2017 were enrolled after meeting the inclusion criteria and then divided into cardiac rehabilitation qigong exercise group (n = 30) receiving a 12-week intervention and control group (n = 29). All participants were assessed at baseline and at 12-week intervention for the primary outcome, that was treadmill test parameter and the secondary outcomes including physical fitness, body composition, bone mineral density, and cardiac ultrasound B-mode imaging. Results: There were no significant differences in baseline demographics between the two groups. After a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation qigong exercise intervention, compared with the control group, ΔVO2 (initial 1352.63 ± 340.95 vs 12 weeks 1594.57 ± 467.14) vs (initial 1363.83 ± 322.90 vs 12 weeks 1323.76 ± 318.92) (P = .003), ΔVO2/kg (initial 21.23 ± 3.56 vs 12 weeks 24.75 ± 5.11) vs (initial 21.01 ± 3.71 vs 12 weeks 20.35 ± 3.66) (P = .002), ΔMETS (initial 6.19 ± 1.12 vs 12 weeks 7.16 ± 1.60) vs (initial 6.00 ± 1.19 vs 12 weeks 5.86 ± 1.23) (P = .001), ΔVO2/HR (P = .027), ΔSV (P = .014), ΔOUES (P = .012), Δhand-grip strength (P = .002), Δflexibility (P = .001), Δbalance (P = .002), ΔT-score (P = .042), ΔBQI (P = .018). However, Δresting systolic blood pressure (P = .004) and Δresting diastolic pressure (P = .012) decreased in the cardiac rehabilitation qigong exercise group. Conclusion: Cardiac rehabilitation qigong exercise can improve cardiopulmonary aerobic capacity, physical fitness, bone mineral density in patients with stable CAD, suggesting that certain effect and safety for stable CAD patients undergoing phase III rehabilitation can be obtained. Keywords: Stable coronary artery disease, Rehabilitation, Cardiac rehabilitation qigong exercise, Cardiopulmonary aerobic capacity