A supplemental report to a randomized cluster trial of a 20-week Sun-style Tai Chi for osteoarthritic knee pain in elders with cognitive impairment.
OBJECTIVE
This was a secondary data analysis of a cluster-randomized clinical trial that tested the efficacy of a 20-week Sun-style Tai Chi (TC) program in reducing pain in community-dwelling elders with cognitive impairment and knee osteoarthritis (OA). The study also examined whether elders' level of cognitive function was related to the outcomes of the TC program.


METHODS
Elders (N=55) were recruited from 8 study sites. Each site was randomly assigned to participate in either a 20-week TC or an education program. Verbal report of pain was measured by a Verbal Descriptor Scale (VDS) at weeks 1, 5, 9, 13, 17 and 21 (designated as times 1-6). Pain behaviors and analgesic intake were also recorded at times 1-6.


RESULTS
At post-test, scores on the VDS and observed pain behaviors were significantly better in the TC group than in the control group (p=0.008-0.048). The beneficial effects of TC were not associated with cognitive ability.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that TC can be used as an adjunct to pharmacological intervention to relieve OA pain in elders with cognitive impairment.


BACKGROUND
Clinical Trial.gov NCT01528566.
College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham St. Slot 529, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. Electronic address: tsaipaofeng@uams.edu.
Pao-Feng
PF
Tsai
Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham St. Slot 510, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. Electronic address: jychang@uams.edu.
Jason Y
JY
Chang
Department of Geriatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham St. Slot 808, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. Electronic address: Corneliabeck@uams.edu.
Cornelia
C
Beck
Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555, USA. Electronic address: yokuo@utmb.edu.
Yong-Fang
YF
Kuo
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Duke University Medical Center DUMC 3159, Durham, NC 27710, USA. Electronic address: francis.keefe@duke.edu.
Francis J
FJ
Keefe
Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1202 West Johnson St. Madison, WI 53706, USA. Electronic address: krosengren@wise.edu.
Karl
K
Rosengren
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026302:Tai Ji / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Cognitive impairment; Knee osteoarthritis; Pain behavior; Pain report; Tai chi