Tai Chi therapy for elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial

Objective To observe the effect of Tai Chi combined with conventional western medicine therapy for elderly patients with type2 diabetes mellitus. Methods According to randomized controlled design, 108 patients were divided into two groups ,with 54 in each group. Patients in control group were treated with conventional western medicine therapy and regular walk (three times per week), while the patients in the observation group were treated with conventional western medicine therapy and Tai Chi (three times per week), both groups were treated for 12 weeks. Before and after treatments, diabetes symptoms scale was used to assess disease conditions, FPG and HbA1c were detected separately by methods of HK (hexokinase) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Diabetes mellitus Specific Quality of Life scale (DSQL) were used to assess the quality of life, Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale (SES6G) was used to assess patients’ self-management ability, and Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess patients' depression emotions. Results After treatments, the clinical symptoms scores (1.79 ± 1.21 vs. 2.86 ± 1.66, t=-3.401), the DSQL scores (50.40 ± 10.88 vs. 56.00 ± 10.85, t=-2.156), the GDS scores (5.63 ± 0.71 vs. 6.08 ±0.91, t=-2.515) of observation group were significantly lower than that of control group (P<0.01 or P<0.05), and the SES6G scores (7.54 ± 0.59 vs. 6.89 ± 0.39, t=-5.987) of observation group were significantly higher than that of control group (P<0.01); after treatments, the D-value of FPG (-0.97 ± 1.54 mmol/L vs. -0.28 ± 1.74 mmol/L, t=-2.092) was significantly higher than that of control group (P<0.05). Conclusions The Tai Chi combined with conventional western medicine therapy could alleviate clinical symptoms and negative emotions, improve disease management and quality of life, regulate blood glucose of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Aged; Shadow boxing; Emotions; Quality of life; Disease management; Integrated Chinese traditional and western medicine therapy