Two research studies on stroke - one for prevention and one for Quality of Life post stroke
Article 1- Stroke Prevention
This study examined the effects of Baduanjin exercise on cerebrovascular function, cardiac structure and cardiac function, static pulmonary function, traditional risk factors of cardiovascular disease and the related psychological outcomes in older community adults at risk for ischaemic stroke.
One hundred seventy people were randomized into either a 12 week, 5 x 60 min/week group receiving training in Baduanjin, or a control group which consisted of continuing with their usual routines. Outcomes were measured both at the conclusion of the 12 week program and after an additional 12 week follow up.
Compared to the control group, the Baduanjin group experienced significant improvements in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, plasma total cholesterol levels, waist circumference, hip circumference and waist/hip ratio; and improved mood, self-confidence, self-esteem, quality of life and sleep quality.
In addition, there were no adverse outcomes for any participants either during the study protocol or follow up period. Baduanjin may be considered a safe and effective exercise for people at risk for an ischaemic stroke.
Baduanjin exercise intervention for community adults at risk of ischaemic stroke: A randomized controlled trial
Guohua Zheng, Bai Chen, Qianying Fang, Qiu Lin, Jing Tao, Lidian Chen Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 4;9(1):1240. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-37544-0.
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to assess the effects of Baduanjin exercise on cerebrovascular function, cardiac structure and cardiac function, static pulmonary function, traditional risk factors of CVD and the related psychological outcomes in older community adults at risk for ischaemic stroke. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in three community between November 2013 and October 2015.
Older community-dwelling adults (N = 170) were randomly allocated into either a Baduanjin training (5 × 60 min/weekly) or control group who kept their unaltered lifestyle during a 12-week intervention period. Primary (cerebral haemodynamic parameters) and secondary outcomes (cardiac structure, cardiac function, static pulmonary function, traditional risk factors and the related psychological outcomes) were measured at baseline, after a 12-week intervention period and after an additional 12-week follow-up period.
After the 12-week intervention period and additional 12-week follow-up period, the Baduanjin exercise group displayed significant changes in most cerebral haemodynamic parameters compared to the control group: lower systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, plasma total cholesterol levels, waist circumference, hip circumference and waist/hip ratio; and improved mood, self-confidence, self-esteem, quality of life and sleep quality.
A supervised 12-week Baduanjin exercise intervention was effective and safe in modulating cerebral haemodynamics, reducing blood pressure and improving anthropometric parameters and related psychological outcomes in older community adults at risk for ischaemic stroke.Article 2- QOL post stroke
This study was designed to evaluate the effect of a mind–body interactive qigong intervention on the physical and mental aspects of quality of life in inpatients with a subacute stroke.
Sixty-eight participants from the medical and rehabilitation wards at a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan were randomly assigned either to the Chan-Chuang qigong group, which received standard care plus a 10-day mind–body interactive exercise program, or to the control group, which received standard care only.
The Chan=Chuang program consisted of 4 main movements with an additional warm-up set of exercises. Each participant practiced for 15 minutes each day, and was given a detailed instruction manual with photos and written instructions.
Compared to the control group, the qigong group reported and demonstrated significant improvements in both mental and physical aspects of quality of life. Owing to improvements in physical QOL, participants demonstrated improved strength and sympathovagal responses; whereas improvements in mental QOL were attributed to improvements in anxiety. There were no adverse outcomes in this study.
The authors concluded that Chan-Chuang qigong, a mind–body interactive exercise, is an appropriate and desirable healthcare intervention for subacute stroke inpatients.
Mind-body interactive qigong improves physical and mental aspects of quality of life in inpatients with stroke: A randomized control study
Ching-Hsiang Chen, Kuo-Sheng Hung, Yu-Chu Chung, Mei-Ling YehEur J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2019 Dec;18(8):658-666.
Abstract
Background:
Stroke, a medical condition that causes physical disability and mental health problems, impacts negatively on quality of life. Post-stroke rehabilitation is critical to restoring quality of life in these patients.
Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of a mind-body interactive qigong intervention on the physical and mental aspects of quality of life, considering bio-physiological and mental covariates in subacute stroke inpatients.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial with repeated measures design was used. A total of 68 participants were recruited from the medical and rehabilitation wards at a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan and then randomly assigned either to the Chan-Chuang qigong group, which received standard care plus a 10-day mind-body interactive exercise program, or to the control group, which received standard care only. Data were collected using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Short Form-12, stroke-related neurologic deficit, muscular strength, heart rate variability and fatigue at three time points: pre-intervention, halfway through the intervention (day 5) and on the final day of the intervention (day 10).
Results: The results of the mixed-effect model analysis showed that the qigong group had a significantly higher quality of life score at day 10 (p<0.05) than the control group. Among the covariates, neurologic deficit (p=0.04), muscle strength (p=0.04), low frequency to high frequency ratio (p=0.02) and anxiety (p=0.04) were significantly associated with changes in quality of life.
Conversely, heart rate, heart rate variability (standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals, low frequency and high frequency), fatigue and depression were not significantly associated with change in quality of life (p >0.05).Conclusions: This study supports the potential benefits of a 10-day mind-body interactive exercise (Chan-Chuang qigong) program for subacute stroke inpatients and provides information that may be useful in planning adjunctive rehabilitative care for stroke inpatients.
Keywords: Chan-Chuang qigong; mental aspect; mind–body interactive exercise; physical aspect; quality of life; rehabilitation; stroke.
