The Therapeutic Effects of Tai Chi on Patients with Essential Hypertension: A Single-Arm Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Quanzhi , Sun Yawei , Peng Wan , Xue Weiqi , Wu Zeyou 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to through a Meta-analysis to explore the differential effects of various Tai Chi forms, durations, frequencies and daily exercise duration on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and nitric oxide (NO) in patients with essential hypertension.
Methods: We conducted searches in PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Cochrane Library, Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), Wanfang Database and Web of Science databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the therapeutic effects of Tai Chi on essential hypertension were collected according to the "PICOS" criteria. The Review Manager 5.4 software was utilized for the meta-analysis, with "I2" serving as the indicator of heterogeneity among studies. When I2 < 50%, indicating mild heterogeneity, a fixed-effect model was used; when I2 > 50%, a random-effect model was employed.
Results: The results of the methodological quality assessment are as follows: Random Sequence Generation: 13 studies were rated as low risk, 2 as unclear risk, and 1 as high risk. Allocation Concealment: All 16 studies were rated as low risk. Blinding of Participants and Personnel: Due to the nature of Tai Chi, double-blinding was challenging. Therefore, 5 studies were rated as low risk, 9 as unclear risk, and 2 as high risk. Blinding of Outcome Assessment: 4 studies were rated as low risk, 2 as high risk, and 10 as unclear risk. Completeness of Outcome Data: All 16 studies were rated as low risk. Selective Reporting: All 16 studies were rated as low risk. Other Sources of Bias: All 16 studies were rated as low risk. The Meta-analysis revealed that, compared with the control group, the Tai Chi group showed significant reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (MD=–7.97, 95%CI[-13.38,–3.55], P=0.0004), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (MD=–4.06, 95%CI[-6.61,–1.51], P=0.002), total cholesterol (TC) (MD=–0.45, 95%CI[-0.72,–0.18], P=0.001), triglycerides (TG) (MD=–0.56, 95%CI[-0.94,–0.17], P=0.005), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (MD=–0.86, 95%CI[-1.30,–0.42], P=0.0001). Subgroup analysis indicated that an intervention cycle longer than 12 weeks is most effective for SBP reduction, while a cycle of 12–20 weeks is optimal for DBP reduction. Moreover, different frequencies of Tai Chi exercises significantly impacted SBP reduction, with a frequency of 5 times or more per week showing the best improvement in DBP. In terms of antihypertensive effects, the optimal daily exercise duration of Tai Chi should be maintained at over 60 minutes.
Conclusion: The optimal intervention for essential hypertension patients involves practicing 8-form or 24-form Tai Chi with an intervention cycle of more than 12 weeks, a frequency of at least 5 times a week, and a daily exercise duration of over 60 minutes.