Baduanjin for ischemic heart failure with mildly reduced/preserved ejection fraction (BEAR Trial): A randomized controlled trial

Abstract Aim While Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese mind‐body exercise, has shown potential health benefits, its efficacy in improving outcomes for heart failure patients with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (HFmrEF/HFpEF) has not been well documented. We aimed to investigate the adjunctive impact of Baduanjin on exercise capacity and quality of life for HFmrEF/HFpEF. Methods Patients with HFmrEF/HFpEF were enrolled in this multicenter randomized clinical trial. All participants were randomized to conventional cardiac rehabilitation with or without an additional 12‐week Baduanjin exercise. The primary endpoint was the distance covered in a 6‐min walk test (6MWD), while key secondary outcomes included quality of life measured by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) and cardiopulmonary function including anaerobic threshold (VO 2 AT). Results A total of 120 patients were enrolled, and 109 completed all session and tests. The mean age of the 120 patients was 60.5 years (SD, 9.21 years), and 23 (19.2%) were women. The Baduanjin group exhibited a 6.14% improvement in 6MWD compared to a 1.32% improvement in the control group (median improvement, 25.0 vs. 5.0 m; p < 0.001) at 12th week. The VO 2 AT increased by 25.87% in the Baduanjin group versus 3.94% in the control group ( p < 0.001). Quality of life also significantly improved in the Baduanjin group as indicated by MLHFQ score changes (–16.8% vs. –3.99%; p < 0.001). Conclusions Adding Baduanjin to exercise‐based cardiac rehabilitation for patients with ischemic HFmrEF or HFpEF are generally safe and could provide significant improvements in exercise capacity and quality of life.