Method:

Pilot, randomized, prospective, and open-label study; with two similar groups of patients with COPD, who were included in a Pulmonary Rehabilitation program for 12 weeks; one of them with Tai Chi as a therapeutic intervention. The similarity of sociodemographic and clinical variables was compared.

Results:

The analyzed groups were similar in most variables (age, sex, sociodemographic, GOLD, Charlson, smoking index IPA). Within the outcome variables in the self-administered PROMIS index prior to the start, at one month, and at three months, all categories analyzed showed an improvement between the initial and final values in both groups, with a greater improvement in the TCm group, although not statistically significant with p-values ≤ 0.05. In the SGRQ questionnaire, the analysis of the results showed no significant differences between the CNTL and TCm groups at one month (44±5 vs. 46±5, p 0.742) and three months (44±5 vs. 40±6, p 0.916); with better values in the TCm group. The BODE Index recorded lower values, indicating an improvement in the TCm group at three months (2±0.6 vs. 3±0.4, p 0.889), although not statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions:

The benefit of Tai Chi within a traditional rehabilitation program showed non-significant improvements in functionality and health-related quality of life. Its inclusion appears promising, requiring further future research.

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