Biomaterial Database

Tai chi for osteoporosis: a systematic review. 2008

M S Lee, and M H Pittler, and B-C Shin, and E Ernst

Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, 25 Victoria Park Road, Exeter, EX2 4NT, UK. myeong.lee@pms.ac.uk

BACKGROUND Tai chi may have beneficial effects with respect to balance, falls and non-vertebral fractures. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate evidence from controlled clinical trials testing the effectiveness of tai chi for osteoporosis. METHODS Systematic searches were conducted on 20 electronic databases. The outcome measures considered for inclusion were changes in bone parameters. RESULTS Five randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and two controlled clinical trials (CCT) met all inclusion criteria. In postmenopausal women, one RCT found tai chi to be superior for loss of bone mineral density (BMD) compared with sedentary lifestyle, while two other RCTs found no differences between tai chi and exercises or calcium supplementation for BMD. The meta-analysis showed no significant effect of tai chi on BMD change at the spine compared with no treatment in postmenopausal women. One RCT failed to show favorable effects of tai chi compared with resistance training (RT) for total hip BMD in elderly women. A further RCT compared tai chi with RT on bone metabolism and reported favorable effects compared with RT in the elderly. CONCLUSIONS The evidence for tai chi in the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis is not convincing. More rigorous research seems warranted.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010024	Osteoporosis	Reduction of bone mass without alteration in the composition of bone, leading to fractures. Primary osteoporosis can be of two major types: postmenopausal osteoporosis (OSTEOPOROSIS, POSTMENOPAUSAL) and age-related or senile osteoporosis.	Age-Related Osteoporosis,Bone Loss, Age-Related,Osteoporosis, Age-Related,Osteoporosis, Post-Traumatic,Osteoporosis, Senile,Senile Osteoporosis,Osteoporosis, Involutional,Age Related Osteoporosis,Age-Related Bone Loss,Age-Related Bone Losses,Age-Related Osteoporoses,Bone Loss, Age Related,Bone Losses, Age-Related,Osteoporoses,Osteoporoses, Age-Related,Osteoporoses, Senile,Osteoporosis, Age Related,Osteoporosis, Post Traumatic,Post-Traumatic Osteoporoses,Post-Traumatic Osteoporosis,Senile Osteoporoses
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D015519	Bone Density	The amount of mineral per square centimeter of BONE. This is the definition used in clinical practice. Actual bone density would be expressed in grams per milliliter. It is most frequently measured by X-RAY ABSORPTIOMETRY or TOMOGRAPHY, X RAY COMPUTED. Bone density is an important predictor for OSTEOPOROSIS.	Bone Mineral Content,Bone Mineral Density,Bone Densities,Bone Mineral Contents,Bone Mineral Densities,Density, Bone,Density, Bone Mineral
D015663	Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal	Metabolic disorder associated with fractures of the femoral neck, vertebrae, and distal forearm. It occurs commonly in women within 15-20 years after menopause, and is caused by factors associated with menopause including estrogen deficiency.	Bone Loss, Perimenopausal,Bone Loss, Postmenopausal,Perimenopausal Bone Loss,Postmenopausal Bone Loss,Postmenopausal Osteoporosis,Osteoporosis, Post-Menopausal,Bone Losses, Perimenopausal,Bone Losses, Postmenopausal,Osteoporoses, Post-Menopausal,Osteoporoses, Postmenopausal,Osteoporosis, Post Menopausal,Perimenopausal Bone Losses,Post-Menopausal Osteoporoses,Post-Menopausal Osteoporosis,Postmenopausal Bone Losses,Postmenopausal Osteoporoses
D016896	Treatment Outcome	Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series.	Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes
D018849	Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about clinical trials involving one or more test treatments, at least one control treatment, specified outcome measures for evaluating the studied intervention, and a bias-free method for assigning patients to the test treatment. The treatment may be drugs, devices, or procedures studied for diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic effectiveness. Control measures include placebos, active medicines, no-treatment, dosage forms and regimens, historical comparisons, etc. When randomization using mathematical techniques, such as the use of a random numbers table, is employed to assign patients to test or control treatments, the trials are characterized as RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS AS TOPIC.	Clinical Trials, Controlled as Topic