title: Tai Chi Exercise for Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This meta-analysis aimed to update and evaluate evidence from randomized controlled trials of tai chi for patients with chronic heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Both English and Chinese databases were searched from their inception to June 2, 2016 (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for English publications and China Knowledge Resource Integrated, Wanfang, and Weipu databases for Chinese publication). Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were screened against study inclusion criteria: randomized controlled trials studying tai chi intervention for patients with chronic heart failure. The meta-analysis was conducted with Revman 5.3 or STATA 12.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen randomized controlled trials were included. Tai chi induced significant improvement in 6-min walking distance (51.01 m; 30.49-71.53; P < 0.00). Moreover, tai chi was beneficial for quality of life (-10.37 points; -14.43 to -6.32; P = 0.00), left ventricular ejection fraction (7.72%; 3.58-11.89; P = 0.003), and B-type natriuretic peptide (-1.01; -1.82 to -0.19; P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite heterogeneity and risk of bias, this meta-analysis further confirms that tai chi may be an effective cardiac rehabilitation method for patients with chronic heart failure. Larger, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to exclude the risk of bias.
authors.affiliation: From the School of Medicine (QG, Y Zheng, Y Zhang, CL, X-MF) and Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine (QG, S-JW, J-CH, KZ, X-MF), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou; and Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (Y Zheng).
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Shui-Jing
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jin-Chao
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiang-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013318:Stroke Volume; D026302:Tai Ji; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain