Does Qigong shape body, mind and spiritual health for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in a RCT?

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients with CFS usually experience physical and psychological distress. Effects of Qigong on physical distress, mental status and spiritual wellbeing for CFS patients are unknown. OBJECTIVES: Effects of Qigong on fatigue level, as well as physical distress, mental status and spiritual well-being were assessed. Their correlations were also investigated. Methods: A RCT was conducted with Qigong and control groups(n=150). 16 sessions of Qigong was delivered. Primary outcome was change of Chalder’s fatigue between baseline and post-intervention (T1-T0). The mental status, physical distress and spiritual wellbeing were measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression(HADS) and Body-Mind-Spirit Well-being Inventory(BMSWBI)-physical distress(PD) and spirituality. Change of Chalder’s fatigue and other outcomes between 2 groups were compared using T-test. Also their correlations were assessed. RESULTS: Subjects in Qigong and control groups at baseline had moderate anxiety [anxiety: 10.9 (3.7) vs 11.2 (3.6), p=.580] and mild depression [depression: 9.4 (3.5) vs 9.5 (3.4), p=.850]. Changes of anxiety (T1-T0) were −2.3 (3.2) vs −0.8 (3.3) (p=.006) and depression were −2.7 (3.5) vs −0.7 (2.9) (p<.001) for Qigong and control groups respectively. Differences of fatigue were −11.8 (11.4) vs −4.1(6.5) respectively (p<.001). Changes of PD were −21.2 (23.8) vs −7.6 (16.5) (p<.001) and 9.7 (19.0) vs 3.0 (17.1) (p=.023) in spirituality. Correlations between changes of fatigue and HADS were significantly positive (0.500 for anxiety, p<.001 and 0.574 for depression, p<.001). There were also significant correlation between changes of fatigue and BMSWBI (0.765 for physical distress p<.001 and −0.496 for spirituality p<.001). CONCLUSION: Significant differences in body, mind and spirit measurements after Qigong were found between two groups. There were also significant correlations between fatigue level and body-mind-spirit wellbeing.