title: Effect of Tai Chi exercise on blood lipid profiles: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies have demonstrated that Tai Chi exercise improves blood lipid level with inconsistent results. A meta-analysis was conducted to quantify the effects of Tai Chi on blood lipid profiles in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  We screened the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (Central), Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang data, and Clinicaltrials.gov for randomized controlled trials with Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) score more than 3 points up to June 2015. Six studies involving 445 subjects were included. Most trials applied 12-week Tai Chi intervention courses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the control group, blood triglyceride (TG) level difference between follow-up and baseline was statistically significantly lower in the Tai Chi practicing group (weighted mean difference (WMD) -16.81 mg/dl; 95% confidence intervals (CI) -31.27 to -2.35 mg/dl; P=0.02). A trend to improving total cholesterol (TC) reduction was found with Tai Chi (WMD -7.96 mg/dl; 95% CI -17.30 to 1.39 mg/dl; P=0.10). However, no difference was found in blood low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tai Chi exercise lowered blood TG level with a trend to decrease blood TC level. Our data suggest that Tai Chi has the potential to implement meaningful blood lipid modification and serve as an adjunctive exercise modality. The relationship between Tai Chi exercise regimen and lipid profile change might have a scientific priority for future investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the First People's Hospital of Aksu District in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Aksu 843000, China.
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahemuti
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Po
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Ju-Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Mei-Xiang
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the First People's Hospital of Aksu District in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Aksu 843000, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Jian-An
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D026302:Tai Ji; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Blood lipid; Meta-analysis; Tai Chi; Triglycerides