Studies that examined cardiovascular outcomes in healthy individuals were not included (e.g., normal baseline blood pressure). Abstracts of all research studies were reviewed to determine if participants were assigned

to a Tai Ji Quan intervention or if a Tai Ji Quan exercise group was compared with another group. After eliminating editorials, reviews papers, and duplicate citations, studies were examined in-depth to determine if they met the inclusion criteria. A total of 20 studies comprising 11 randomized clinical trials, seven quasi-experimental studies and two cross-sectional studies, met the inclusion criteria (Table 1). There were a total of 1182 participants (44% women), who ranged in age from 51 to 77 years old. Study click here sample sizes ranged from 18 to 207 participants per study. Tai Ji Quan as an exercise modality to prevent and manage CVD was examined on a variety of study variables (i.e., more than 20) among persons with coronary artery disease (n = 5 studies), 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 chronic heart failure (n = 5 studies), 11, 24, 25, 26 and 27 stroke (n = 4 studies), 28, 29, 30 and 31 and CVD risk factors (n = 6 studies). 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39 These studies were conducted primarily in Asia (n = 9, 45%)

19, 20, 21, 22, 29, 30, 36, 38 and 39 or the United States (n = 8, 40%). 11, 23, 24, 26, 27, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 Across all studies there were a total of 587 persons enrolled in Tai Ji Quan exercise. The Yang style of Tai Ji Quan was the principal style used (75%, n = 15), followed by the Wu style (10%, n = 2), and combined selleck or unspecified styles (15%, n = 3). The Tai Ji Quan interventions ranged from 12 1-h sessions over 12 weeks 29 and 30 to 156 1-h sessions over

52 weeks 36 and 38 with participants learning between 5 and 108 postures. Oxygenase The main control condition was usual care (n = 8), 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 27, 31 and 38 followed by other exercise classes, such as stretching, balance training, cardiac rehabilitation exercise, or resistance training (n = 5), 23, 28, 29, 30 and 36 sedentary comparisons or wait-list control groups (n = 4), 32, 36, 37 and 39 or group-based education (n = 3). 11, 24 and 26 Overall, attrition in these studies was low, and ranged from 0 to 27%: only two studies had attrition rates higher than 20%. 21 and 38 A total of four quasi-experimental studies and one cross-sectional study examined Tai Ji Quan among persons with coronary artery disease (Table 1).19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 Study participants ranged in age 60–70 years old, had coronary artery disease confirmed by coronary angiography and/or were attending cardiac rehabilitation. The effects of Tai Ji Quan on CVD risk factors, cardiac health behaviors, autonomic nervous system function, exercise capacity, and physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning compared to usual care/cardiac rehabilitation were examined.