Clinical trial NCT03086772: Effects of Tai Chi on Multisite Pain and Brain Functions in Older Adults
Official title: Effects of Tai Chi on Multisite Pain and Brain Functions in Older Adults
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Chronic Pain
Lead sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Boston
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Institute on Aging (NIA)
First posted: 2017-03-22
Enrollment: 54
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 65
Standard ages: OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The main purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week Tai Chi program for community-dwelling older adults with chronic multisite pain and a history of falling. In addition, the investigators examined the effects of Tai Chi on pain characteristics, cognition, physical function, gait mobility, levels of pain-related biomarkers, fear of falling and rate of falls in these older adults.

Detailed description: Older adults aged ≥65 years with multisite pain who reported falling in the past year or current use of an assistive device were recruited from Boston area communities. Participants were randomized to either a Tai Chi (N=28) or a light physical exercise (N=26) program, offered twice weekly for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes were feasibility and acceptability of the 12-week Tai Chi/light exercise program. Secondary outcomes included pain characteristics (pain severity and pain interference), cognition (attention and executive function), physical function (walking speed, strength, and balance), gait mobility (singe-task and dual-task gait), levels of pain-related markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and beta endorphin), fear of falling, and rate of falls.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age of 65 years and older
* Multisite (2 or more sites) musculoskeletal pain
* At least one fall in the past year, or currently on an assistive device
* A sedentary lifestyle
* Be able to walk 20-feet without personal assistance
* Be able to communicate in English.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Regular Tai Chi practice
* Unstable cardiac disease
* Stroke
* Rheumatoid arthritis
* Degenerative neuromuscular disease
* Parkinson's disease
* Terminal disease
* Dementing illness

Primary outcomes:
measure: Feasibility and acceptability of the 12-week Tai Chi program
timeFrame: Over the 12-week intervention period
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Pain characteristics
timeFrame: Before and after the 12-week intervention period
measure: Cognition
timeFrame: Before and after the 12-week intervention period
measure: Physical function
timeFrame: Before and after the 12-week intervention period
measure: Gait mobility
timeFrame: Before and after the 12-week intervention period
measure: Pain-related biomarkers
timeFrame: Before and after the 12-week intervention period
measure: Fear of falling
timeFrame: Before and after the 12-week intervention period
measure: Rate of falls
timeFrame: Over the 12-week intervention and 6 months following the intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Boston
country: United States
facility: University of Massachusetts, Boston
state: Massachusetts
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Massachusetts, Boston
name: Tongjian You, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: University of Massachusetts, Boston
name: Suzanne Leveille, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: You T, Ogawa EF, Thapa S, Cai Y, Zhang H, Nagae S, Yeh GY, Wayne PM, Shi L, Leveille SG. Tai Chi for older adults with chronic multisite pain: a randomized controlled pilot study. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2018 Nov;30(11):1335-1343. doi: 10.1007/s40520-018-0922-0. Epub 2018 Mar 6.