TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of a 6-month Tai Chi Qigong program on arterial hemodynamics and functional aerobic capacity in survivors of nasopharyngeal cancer
AU - Fong, Shirley S.M.
AU - Ng, Shamay S.M.
AU - Luk, W. S.
AU - Chung, Joanne W.Y.
AU - Leung, Joyce C.Y.
AU - Masters, Rich S.W.
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge the Mutual Aid Association for their assistance in recruiting the participants and the Nature Health Qigong Association for providing Tai Chi Qigong training for the participants. This study was supported by a Seed Fund for Basic Research for New Staff (201308159012) from the University of Hong Kong and an Internal Research Grant (RG57/2012-2013R) from the Hong Kong Institute of Education.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
PY - 2014/12
Y1 - 2014/12
N2 - Purpose: Survivors of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) often sustain cardiovascular complications after conventional cancer treatments. Tai Chi (TC) Qigong training may be a viable way to improve peripheral circulatory status and aerobic capacity in this population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 6-month TC Qigong training program on blood flow velocities and resistance, palmar skin temperature, and functional aerobic capacity in survivors of NPC.Methods: Twenty-five and 27 survivors of NPC volunteered to join the intervention group (mean age, 55.4 ± 7.5 years) and control group (mean age, 58.7 ± 9.5 years), respectively. The intervention group underwent a TC Qigong training program—the modified 18 Forms TC Internal Qigong—for 6 months, while the control group received no training. Peripheral arterial blood flow velocities and resistance, palmar skin temperature, and functional aerobic capacity were measured by a Doppler ultrasound machine, an infrared thermometer, and six-minute walk test, respectively. All outcomes were assessed at baseline, mid-intervention (3-month), post-intervention (6-month), and follow-up (12-month) periods.Implications for Cancer Survivors: TC Qigong may have enormous potential as a rehabilitation intervention for survivors of NPC to improve arterial hemodynamics and functional aerobic capacity.Results: The TC Qigong group had higher diastolic blood flow velocity (p = 0.010), lower arterial blood flow resistance (p = 0.009), and higher palmar skin temperature (p = 0.004) than the control group after TC Qigong training. However, only the diastolic blood flow velocity was higher in the TC Qigong group than in the control group during the no-training follow-up period (p = 0.032). Additionally, an improvement in functional aerobic capacity was found in the intervention group after TC Qigong training (p < 0.008) but not in the control group over time (p > 0.008).Conclusions: TC Qigong training may improve peripheral circulatory status and functional aerobic capacity among people treated for NPC. However, this is only a pilot study and future definitive trials are needed to confirm the results.
AB - Purpose: Survivors of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) often sustain cardiovascular complications after conventional cancer treatments. Tai Chi (TC) Qigong training may be a viable way to improve peripheral circulatory status and aerobic capacity in this population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 6-month TC Qigong training program on blood flow velocities and resistance, palmar skin temperature, and functional aerobic capacity in survivors of NPC.Methods: Twenty-five and 27 survivors of NPC volunteered to join the intervention group (mean age, 55.4 ± 7.5 years) and control group (mean age, 58.7 ± 9.5 years), respectively. The intervention group underwent a TC Qigong training program—the modified 18 Forms TC Internal Qigong—for 6 months, while the control group received no training. Peripheral arterial blood flow velocities and resistance, palmar skin temperature, and functional aerobic capacity were measured by a Doppler ultrasound machine, an infrared thermometer, and six-minute walk test, respectively. All outcomes were assessed at baseline, mid-intervention (3-month), post-intervention (6-month), and follow-up (12-month) periods.Implications for Cancer Survivors: TC Qigong may have enormous potential as a rehabilitation intervention for survivors of NPC to improve arterial hemodynamics and functional aerobic capacity.Results: The TC Qigong group had higher diastolic blood flow velocity (p = 0.010), lower arterial blood flow resistance (p = 0.009), and higher palmar skin temperature (p = 0.004) than the control group after TC Qigong training. However, only the diastolic blood flow velocity was higher in the TC Qigong group than in the control group during the no-training follow-up period (p = 0.032). Additionally, an improvement in functional aerobic capacity was found in the intervention group after TC Qigong training (p < 0.008) but not in the control group over time (p > 0.008).Conclusions: TC Qigong training may improve peripheral circulatory status and functional aerobic capacity among people treated for NPC. However, this is only a pilot study and future definitive trials are needed to confirm the results.
KW - Cardiovascular system
KW - Head and neck neoplasms
KW - Mind-body therapies
KW - Physical fitness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84936767633&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11764-014-0372-4
DO - 10.1007/s11764-014-0372-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 24908587
AN - SCOPUS:84936767633
SN - 1932-2259
VL - 8
SP - 618
EP - 626
JO - Journal of Cancer Survivorship
JF - Journal of Cancer Survivorship
IS - 4
ER -
