Tai Chi for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic respiratory disease with increasing morbidity and mortality that cause huge social and economic loss. Although recommended by guidelines, pulmonary rehabilitation has not been widely applied in clinics because of its inherent limitations. Free from restrictions of specific training venues and equipment, Tai Chi, as a kind of pulmonary rehabilitation, has been used to cure the COPD, yet the efficacy and safety of Tai Chi remains to be assessed. In this study, we aim to draw up a protocol for systematic review to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Tai Chi for COPD. METHODS: We will search the following electronic databases from inception to December 31, 2018: PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Springer, EMBASE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wan Fang Database, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Clinical trial registrations, potential gray literatures, relevant conference abstracts and reference list of identified studies will also be searched. The literature selection, data extraction, and quality assessment will be completed by 2 independent authors. Either the fixed-effects or random-effects model will be used for data synthesis based on the heterogeneity test. Changes in lung function will be evaluated as the primary outcome. Symptom assessment, quality of life (SGRQ), medication usage, exacerbations, and adverse events will be assessed as the secondary outcomes. The RevMan V.5.3.5 will be used for Meta-analysis. RESULTS: This study will provide a synthesis of current evidence of Tai Chi for COPD from several aspects, such as lung function, SGRQ, medication usage, exacerbations, and adverse events. CONCLUSION: The conclusion of our study will provide updated evidence to judge whether Tai Chi is an effective solution to COPD patients. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42019122791.