Baduanjin’s impact on quality of life and sleep quality in breast cancer survivors receiving aromatase inhibitor therapy: a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE: The aim of the current study is to investigate the impact of Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese exercise, on quality of life and sleep quality in breast cancer survivors receiving aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy. METHODS: A total of 72 breast cancer survivors who had received AI treatment for more3 than 6 months were enrolled in the current study using non-probability consecutive sampling procedure. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to a 12-week Baduanjin exercise program or to a wait-list control group. The Baduanjin exercise group performed two 90-min supervised sessions per week. The primary outcomes were changes in quality of life measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and in sleep quality evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). RESULTS: A total of 68 participants completed the trial (Baduanjin exercise group: n = 33; control group: n = 35). Baseline values for quality of life did not differ between groups. Both global quality of life and physical functioning scores increased significantly by 12.39 (P < 0.001) and 8.48 (P < 0.001) in the Baduanjin exercise group compared with those in the control. Overall PSQI score also decreased by 4.85 (P < 0.001) in the Baduanjin exercise group, whereas it increased by 0.34 in the control group. CONCLUSION: Baduanjin exercise training led to improvement in the quality of life and sleep quality of breast cancer patients undergoing AI therapy.