BACKGROUND

Baduanjin exercise is a traditional Chinese Qigong exercise. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Baduanjin exercise on the quality of life and psychological status of postoperative patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Eight databases were searched from inception to December 15, 2021, restricting the language to English and Chinese. RevMan5.3 software was employed for data analysis. This study was registered in PROSPERO, number CRD 42020222132.

RESULTS

A total of 7 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 450 postoperative breast cancer patients with or without Baduanjin exercise were collected. Compared with the group without Baduanjin, those who practiced Baduanjin showed significant improvement in quality of life (WMD = 5.70, 95% CI 3.11-8.29,  < .0001). Subgroup analysis showed significant improvement in physical (WMD = 1.83, 95% CI 1.13-2.53,  < .00001) and functional well-being (WMD = 1.58, 95% CI 0.77-2.39,  = .0001), which were measured by the functional assessment of cancer therapy-breast (FACT-B). Subgroup analysis also showed that role-physical (WMD = 11.49, 95% CI 8.86-14.13,  < .00001) and vitality (WMD = 8.58, 95% CI 5.60-11.56,  < .00001) were significantly increased, as measured by a 36-item Short Form survey (SF-36). In terms of psychological health, Baduanjin exercise reduced patients' anxiety (WMD = -8.02, 95% CI -9.27 to -6.78,  < .00001) and depression (WMD = -4.45, 95% CI -5.62 to -3.28,  < .00001).

CONCLUSIONS

Baduanjin is an effective exercise, which can significantly improve the quality of life and psychological health of breast cancer patients after operation.