Exploring correlates of improved depression symptoms and quality of life following tai chi exercise for patients with heart failure

Abstract

Aims Tai chi exercise has been shown in a prior randomized controlled trial to improve depression symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in patients with heart failure (HF), but correlates of these improvements are not well known. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to explore whether tai chi is associated with improvements in biopsychosocial and behavioural measures and whether such improvements are correlated with improved depression and QoL. Methods and results Participants were n = 100 adults with chronic systolic HF (mean age = 67.4, SD = 12.0; 64% male; 96% White; New York Heart Association class = 1-3) randomized to a 12 week tai chi exercise intervention or health education control. Constructs of interest included social support, exercise self-efficacy, activity engagement, sense of coherence, and inflammatory biomarkers. Tai chi was associated with increased everyday activity engagement compared with the health education group (P < 0.05), but there were no group differences in social support or sense of coherence. Among tai chi participants, improved self-efficacy was correlated with QoL (r = 31, P = 0.05), and there was a trend toward improved depression symptoms and social support (r = À0.22, P = 0.13). Among all participants, controlling for intervention group, improved sense of coherence, and inflammation (C-reactive protein) were associated with improved depression symptoms, and improved selfefficacy, sense of coherence, and frequency of activity engagement were associated with improved QoL. Conclusions Tai chi exercise promotes interrelated psychosocial improvements for patients with HF. A range of biopsychosocial and behavioural variables are relevant to mood management in patients with HF.

Self‐care perception and behaviour in patients with heart failure: A qualitative and quantitative study

“…Among the reasons for difficulties with regular physical activity, lack of self‐confidence, avoiding physical activity in the winter to prevent illness (value of being healthy) and difficulties in establishing new habits (value of maintaining a healthy lifestyle) emerged. Studies show 34 that group exercise programmes have shown success in addressing these challenges, improving exercise self‐efficacy and supporting regular activity engagement of HF patients.…”

Tai Chi, Qigong and the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety

“…At the end of that time, the changes in their anxiety subscale were significant (p = 0.002), as were the changes in their depression subscale (p = 0.008). Luberto et al [73] found that the practice of tai chi by patients with heart failure improved their depression symptoms and quality of life indexes. Lopez et al [74] found that group tai chi and qigong classes taken by cancer patients and caregivers experienced significant improvement in global distress.…”

Hotspot and Frontier Analysis of Exercise Training Therapy for Heart Failure Complicated With Depression Based on Web of Science Database and Big Data Analysis

“…Importantly, the research areas are mainly concentrated in self-care, physical activity, outcomes, meta-analysis, etc. (14)(15)(16), and there is a lack of mechanism research and interdisciplinary cooperation. As a result, some important mechanisms in related fields cannot be applied in this study.…”

“…Over the same period, the number of publications met the criteria "heart failure" AND "exercise" (Cohort 2) is 15 1B,E).…”

“…On the other hand, we have also noticed that some studies have combined these factors, but the new research area mainly focused on self-care, physical activity, outcomes, metaanalysis, etc. (14)(15)(16). Mechanism research is relatively weak, and interdisciplinary cooperation is also lacking.…”