Therapeutic effects of Qigong in patients with COPD: a randomized controlled trial
Open accessAbstract
Objective This study was conducted to compare the therapeutic effects of health qigong (HQG) with conventional pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) exercise among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods A total of 132 patients with confirmed diagnosis of COPD but no serious comorbidities were randomly allocated to the HQG group (n = 51), PR group (n = 32), or medical treatment group (n = 35). The HQG group received 1 week of HQG training under the supervision of professional coaches, and were then encouraged to participate in a peer-led weekly practice group thrice a week, lasting 1 hour each time, for 6 months. The conventional PR group received the same amount of professional coaching on breathing and aerobic exercises, and peer-led walking or ball game groups. The medical treatment group only received health education on self-exercise. Baseline data were taken before randomization, and outcomes were ascertained at the 6-month follow-up by blinded assessors. Results Overall, 118 patients with complete data were recruited into the final analysis. Irrespective of disease stages, both HQG and PR groups showed improving trends across 6-minute walk test and quality of life scores, while the medical treatment group demonstrated either no improvements or some deteriorations. When comparing HQG with PR, HQG appeared to have better effects on decreasing the frequency of exacerbation for patients with GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) stage I and maintaining a stable tumor necrosis factor-alpha level for patients of GOLD stage II. Conclusion This study solidifies the concept that both HQG and PR produce positive effects on subjective symptoms and functions among COPD patients, and also provided evidence that HQG can induce additional effects compared to conventional PR.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Specific meditative movement practices have been shown to be an effective intervention for COPD and equivalent or superior to conventional pulmonary rehabilitation in benefiting several symptoms.
“Specific MM practices have been shown to be an effective intervention for COPD (Ng et al., 2011; Liu et al., 2012; Chan et al., 2013) and to be equivalent or superior to conventional pulmonary rehabilitation in benefiting several of its symptoms (Xu et al., 2010; Ng et al., 2014).”
From Effectiveness of a Novel Qigong Meditative Movement Practice for Impaired Health in Flight Attendants Exposed to Second-Hand Cigarette Smoke (2017) · cites this paper as Liu et al., 2012
Cites
Vestbo, J., Hurd, S. S., Agustí, A. G., Jones, P. W., Vogelmeier, C., Anzueto, A., Barnes, P. J., Fabbri, L. M., Martinez, F. J., Nishimura, M., et al. (2013) · American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine · doi:10.1164/rccm.201204-0596pp · Cited by 15,983 · see citing works
PAUWELS, R. A., Buist, A. S., CALVERLEY, P. M. A., Jenkins, C. R., & Hurd, S. S. (2001) · American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine · doi:10.1164/ajrccm.163.5.2101039 · Cited by 6,529 · see citing works
Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
Gerald, L. B., & Bailey, W. C. (2002) · Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation · doi:10.1097/00008483-200207000-00004 · Cited by 5,824 · see citing works
Medicine & science in sports & exercise
Walle, J. M. L., Solá, I. B., Castillo, I., & Rodríguez, J. L. T. (1994) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/0002-8223(94)92575-5 · Cited by 1,309 · see citing works
Systemic effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Agustí, A. G. N., Noguera, A., Sauleda, J., Sala, E., Pons, J., & Busquets, X. (2003) · European Respiratory Journal · doi:10.1183/09031936.03.00405703 · Cited by 1,044 · see citing works
Exercise as a Mean to Control Low‐Grade Systemic Inflammation
Mathur, N., & Pedersen, B. K. (2008) · Mediators of Inflammation · doi:10.1155/2008/109502 · Cited by 514 · see citing works
Oh, B., Butow, P., Mullan, B., Clarke, S., Beale, P., Pavlakis, N., Kothe, E., Lam, L., & Rosenthal, D. (2009) · Annals of Oncology · doi:10.1093/annonc/mdp479 · Cited by 252 · see citing works
Fang, X., Wang, X., & Bai, C. (2011) · CHEST Journal · doi:10.1378/chest.10-1393 · Cited by 203 · see citing works
Slow breathing reduces sympathoexcitation in COPD
Raupach, T., Bahr, F., Herrmann, P., Lüthje, L., Heusser, K., Hasenfuss, G. P., Bernardi, L., & Andreas, S. (2008) · European Respiratory Journal · doi:10.1183/09031936.00109607 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
Exercise-Induced Systemic Effects in Muscle-Wasted Patients with COPD
van Helvoort, H. A. C., Heijdra, Y. F., Thijs, H. M. H., Viña, J., Wanten, G. J. A., & Dekhuijzen, P. N. R. (2006) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000228331.13123.53 · Cited by 140 · see citing works
The Journal of Chinese Medicine (1979–2002)
Lewis, C. (2002) · Acupuncture in Medicine · doi:10.1136/aim.20.4.210 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Psychophysiological outcomes of health qigong for chronic conditions: a systematic review.
Ng, B. H., & Tsang, H. (2009) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.2008.00763.x · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Therapeutic implications of the pathophysiology of COPD
Macklem, P. T. (2010) · European Respiratory Journal · doi:10.1183/09031936.00120609 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Supervised high intensity continuous and interval training vs. self-paced training in COPD.
Varga, J., Porszasz, J., Boda, K., Casaburi, R., & Somfay, A. (2007) · Respiratory Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2007.06.017 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Lan, C., Chou, S., Chen, S., Lai, J., & Wong, M. (2004) · The American Journal of Chinese Medicine · doi:10.1142/s0192415x04001734 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Aspects on pathophysiological mechanisms in COPD
Larsson, K. (2007) · Journal of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2796.2007.01837.x · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Ng, B. H. P., Tsang, H. W. H., JONES, A. Y. M., So, C. T., & Mok, T. (2011) · The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine · doi:10.1089/acm.2010.0215 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Chan, A. W. K., Lee, A., Suen, L. K. P., & Tam, W. (2010) · Quality of Life Research · doi:10.1007/s11136-010-9632-6 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
The Cardiorespiratory Response and Energy Expenditure of Tai-Chi-Qui-Gong
Chao, Y.-F., Chen, S., Lan, C., & Lai, J. (2002) · The American Journal of Chinese Medicine · doi:10.1142/s0192415x02000636 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Chan, A. S.-Y., Cheung, M., Sze, S. L., Leung, W. W.-M., & Shi, D. (2010) · Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine · doi:10.1155/2011/180704 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Adherence to a home-walking prescription in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Donesky, D., Janson, S. L., Neuhaus, J. M., Neilands, T. B., & Carrieri‐Kohlman, V. (2007) · Heart & Lung · doi:10.1016/j.hrtlng.2006.11.004 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Garrod, R., Robson-Ansley, P. J., Canavan, J. L., & Jewell, A. (2006) · Medical Hypotheses · doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2006.07.028 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
The Potential Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Exercise in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
van der Vlist, J., & Janssen, T. W. J. (2009) · Respiration · doi:10.1159/000233264 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Einvik, G., Hrubos‐Strøm, H., Randby, A., Nordhus, I. H., Somers, V. K., Omland, T., & Dammen, T. (2011) · Psychosomatic Medicine · doi:10.1097/psy.0b013e318219e64e · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Chan, L. L. C., Tam, K., Chan, E., Ng, S., & So, C. T. (2006) · Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy · doi:10.1016/s1569-1861(09)70034-8 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
McCarthy, B., Casey, D., Devane, D., Murphy, K., Murphy, E., & Lacasse, Y. (2015) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd003793.pub3 · Cited by 2,643 · see citing works
Rochester, C. L., Alison, J. A., Carlin, B. W., Jenkins, A. R., Cox, N. S., Bauldoff, G. S., Bhatt, S. P., Bourbeau, J., Burtin, C., Camp, P. G., et al. (2023) · American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine · doi:10.1164/rccm.202306-1066st · Cited by 475 · see citing works
Australian and N ew Z ealand P ulmonary R ehabilitation G uidelines
Alison, J. A., McKeough, Z. J., Johnston, K., McNamara, R. J., Spencer, L. M., JENKINS, S. C., Hill, C. J., McDonald, V. M., Frith, P. A., Cafarella, P., et al. (2017) · Respirology · doi:10.1111/resp.13025 · Cited by 312 · see citing works
Li, Z., Liu, S., Wang, L., & Smith, L. (2019) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17010022 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
Meditative Movement for Depression and Anxiety
Payne, P., & Crane‐Godreau, M. A. (2013) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00071 · Cited by 129 · see citing works
Pulmonary Rehabilitation as a Mechanism to Reduce Hospitalizations for Acute Exacerbations of COPD
Moore, E., Palmer, T., Newson, R. B., Majeed, A., Quint, J. K., & Soljak, M. (2016) · CHEST Journal · doi:10.1016/j.chest.2016.05.038 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Neurogenesis in neurological and psychiatric diseases and brain injury: From bench to bedside
Ruan, L., Lau, B. W.-M., Wang, J., Huang, L., Zhuge, Q., Wang, B. Z., Jin, K., & So, K. (2014) · Progress in Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2013.12.006 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
Yin, J., & Dishman, R. K. (2014) · Mental health and physical activity · doi:10.1016/j.mhpa.2014.08.001 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Rugbjerg, M., Iepsen, U. W., Jørgensen, K. J., & Lange, P. (2015) · International Journal of COPD · doi:10.2147/copd.s78607 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Liu, S., Wang, L., Li, R., Wei, G., Ren, Z., & Zou, L. (2018) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph15091830 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Mild COPD: A Systematic Review
Jácome, C. I. O., & Marques, A. S. P. D. D. (2013) · Respiratory Care · doi:10.4187/respcare.02742 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Gendron, L. M., Nyberg, A., Saey, D., Maltais, F., & Lacasse, Y. (2018) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd012290.pub2 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Tong, H., Liu, Y., Zhu, Y., Zhang, B., & Hu, J. (2019) · BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12906-019-2639-9 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Traditional Chinese Exercises for Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Ng, B. H. P., Tsang, H. W. H., Ng, B. F. L., & So, C.-T. (2014) · Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention · doi:10.1097/hcr.0000000000000062 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Effect of Qigong on self-rating depression and anxiety scale scores of COPD patients
Wu, J., Zhang, Y., Du, W.-S., Liang-duo, J., Jin, R., Yu, H., Liu, J., & Han, M. (2019) · Medicine · doi:10.1097/md.0000000000015776 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Luo, X., Zhang, J., Castelberg, R., Wu, T., Yu, P., He, C., & Wang, P. (2016) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0161564 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Cao, A., Feng, F., Li, Z., & Zhou, X. (2020) · Clinical Rehabilitation · doi:10.1177/0269215520926635 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Benefits of Qigong as an integrative and complementary practice for health: a systematic review
Toneti, B. F., Barbosa, R. F. M., Mano, L. Y., Sawada, L. O., de Oliveira, I. G., & Sawada, N. O. (2020) · Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem · doi:10.1590/1518-8345.3718.3317 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Kantatong, T., Panpanich, R., Deesomchok, A., Sungkarat, S., & Siviroj, P. (2019) · Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2019.03.008 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Interaction Modalities Used on Serious Games for Upper Limb Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review
Aguilar-Lazcano, C. A., Rechy-Ramirez, E. J., Hu, H., Ríos-Figueroa, H. V., & Marı́n-Hernández, A. (2019) · Games for Health Journal · doi:10.1089/g4h.2018.0129 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Chen, J., Wang, Z.-Y., Chen, Y.-J., & Ni, J. (2020) · Frontiers in Physiology · doi:10.3389/fphys.2020.00646 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Priego-Jiménez, S., Torres-Costoso, A. I., Guzmán‐Pavón, M. J., Lorenzo‐García, P., Lucerón‐Lucas‐Torres, M., & Álvarez‐Bueno, C. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph192114539 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Tsang, E. W., Kwok, H. W. M., Chan, A. K. Y., Choo, K. L., Chan, K. S., Lau, K. S., & Chan, C. C. H. (2018) · BMC Pulmonary Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12890-018-0692-7 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Chen, Y. Q., Zhang, P., Dong, Z., Zhu, Y., Liu, Y., Qiao, C., Zhang, N., Jiang, Y., & Chen, B. (2024) · npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41533-024-00400-y · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Liu, X., Li, P., Xiao, L., Lu, Y., Li, N., Wang, Z., Duan, H., Li, J., & Wu, W. (2019) · Trials · doi:10.1186/s13063-018-3149-7 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Zhu, Y., Zhang, Z., Du, Z., & Zhai, F. (2024) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-69394-4 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Effect of Liuzijue Qigong on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Guo, Y., Xu, M., Ji, M., Zhang, J., Hu, Q., Wei, Z., Yan, J., Chen, Y., Lyu, J., Shao, X., et al. (2018) · Medicine · doi:10.1097/md.0000000000012659 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Jiang, L., Li, P., Shi, J., Bao, Y., Wang, Z., Wu, W., & Liu, X. (2023) · BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies · doi:10.1186/s12906-023-04238-8 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Payne, P., Fiering, S., Leiter, J. C., Zava, D. T., & Crane-Godreau, M. A. (2017) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00067 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Zhang, T., Zhou, R., Wang, T., Xin, Y., Liu, X., & Huang, H.-T. (2022) · Thorax · doi:10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-218030 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Tao, M., Lu, L., Gao, J., & He, X. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.989919 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Priego-Jiménez, S., Cavero‐Redondo, I., Pascual‐Morena, C., Martínez‐García, I., Martínez‐Vizcaíno, V., & Álvarez-Bueno, C. (2023) · Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.rehab.2023.101792 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Liu, X., Li, P., Li, J., Xiao, L., Li, N., Lu, Y., Wang, Z., Su, J., Wang, Z., Shan, C., et al. (2019) · Journal of Visualized Experiments · doi:10.3791/59765 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Yan, Z., Zhang, T., Ding, Z., Tao, B., Shu, J., Yu, M., Liang, Q., & Yan, J. (2025) · Complementary Therapies in Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103237 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Tao, M., Huang, H., Gao, J., Cao, Y., & Zhuang, J. (2024) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-69578-y · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Lu, L., Tao, M., Gao, J., Gao, M., Zhu, H., & He, X. (2024) · Frontiers in Physiology · doi:10.3389/fphys.2024.1341351 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Huang, N., Peng, L., Li, H., Si, J., Shi, L., Wang, Y., Liao, J., & Sun, L. (2025) · COPD Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease · doi:10.1080/15412555.2025.2519598 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Ekren, P. K. (2018) · Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation · doi:10.5606/tftrd.2018.1006 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Combating With COPD by QiGong Physical and Mental Exercise
Serin, E. K. (2020) · Holistic Nursing Practice · doi:10.1097/hnp.0000000000000416 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Li, Y., Wu, J., & Lei, R. (2025) · Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine · doi:10.3389/fcvm.2025.1546996 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Payne, P., Zava, D. T., Fiering, S., & Crane‐Godreau, M. A. (2016) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00038 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Digital Delivery of Meditative Movement Training Improved Health of Cigarette-Smoke-Exposed Subjects
Payne, P., Fiering, S., Zava, D. T., Gould, T. J., Brown, A., Hage, P., Gaudet, C., & Crane‐Godreau, M. A. (2018) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2018.00282 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Roh, J.-A., Leem, J., Lee, B., Kim, K., & Jung, H.-J. (2025) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1410342 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The role of pulmonary rehabilitation in the prevention of exacerbations of chronic lung diseases
Rodrigues, F., Loeckx, M., Troosters, T., & Janssens, W. (2017) · European Respiratory Society eBooks · doi:10.1183/2312508x.10016916 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Benefits of Qigong as an integrative and complementary practice for health: a systematic review
Toneti, B. F., Barbosa, R. F. M., Mano, L. Y., Sawada, L. O., de Oliveira, I. G., & Sawada, N. O. (2020) · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Karacan, Y., Parlak, A. G., Budak, S., & Bayram, R. (2025) · Holistic Nursing Practice · doi:10.1097/hnp.0000000000000755
Lu, H., Song, X., Xiong, X., & Wang, J. (2025) · The American Journal of the Medical Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.amjms.2025.10.020
He, H., Qin, Z., Liu, K., & Shen, G. (2025) · Frontiers in Medicine · doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1668578
Jiang, L., Li, P., Shi, J., Bao, Y., Wang, Z., Wu, W., & Liu, X. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.24597823
Gao, Q., Li, P., Han, X., Lv, Y., Wang, J., Tang, H., Zhang, Y., Liu, X., & Wu, W. (2026) · Clinical Rehabilitation · doi:10.1177/02692155261444584
- Authors
- Liu, X.-D., Jin, H.-Z., Ng, B. H.-P., Gu, Y.-H., Wu, Y.-C., & Lu, G.
- Affiliations
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Kowloon Hospital (CN)
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (CN)
- Jiangsu Province Hospital (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Ng, Bobby Hin-Po
- Venue
- Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2012-06
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 38-46
- ISSN
- 1569-1861 (ISSN-L)
- 1876-4398
- OpenAlex
- W2006710757
- Cited by
- 50
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 1.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Biofield Effects and Biophysics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Medical Research and Treatments
- Keywords
- qigong, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary rehabilitation, exercise therapy, COPD exacerbations, 6-minute walk test, quality of life, TNF-α, GOLD stage
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
