Background: Evidence-based research has shown the effects of traditional Chinese exercise on exercise capacity, depression, and quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, the effects of Chan-Chuang qigong on the physical and psychological status and on the quality of life of these patients are unknown.
Purpose: To investigate the effects of Chan-Chuang qigong on exercise capacity, depression, and quality of life in patients with heart failure.
Methods: A randomized controlled study with repeated measures was conducted. One hundred participants with heart failure were recruited from a teaching medical center in Taiwan. Permuted block randomization was used to randomly assign the participants to either the Chan-Chuang qigong group, which received Chan-Chuang qigong intervention for three-months, or the control group. The outcome variables included six-minute walk distance, depression, and quality of life.
Results: Generalized estimating equation analyses showed that the Chan-Chuang qigong group achieved significantly greater improvements than the control group in terms of six-minute walk distance (p = .001, p < .001, p < .001, respectively) and quality of life (p = .016, p < .001, p < .001, respectively) at 2, 4, and 12 weeks after the intervention and depression at 12 weeks after the intervention (p = .016).
Conclusions / implications for practice: The results of this study indicate that Chan-Chuang qigong improves exercise capacity, depression, and quality of life in patients with heart failure without imposing harmful side effects.
Title: 站樁氣功改善心臟衰竭病人運動耐力、憂鬱與生活品質之成效.
背景: 實證研究支持傳統中國運動能改善心臟血管疾病病人之運動耐力、憂鬱及生活品質，然而，站樁氣功對心臟衰竭病人之身心及生活品質效益尚未知曉。.
目的: 檢視站樁氣功改善心臟衰竭病人運動耐力、憂鬱及生活品質之成效。.
方法: 本研究為重複性測量隨機控制試驗，於台灣某醫學中心招收100位心臟衰竭病人，並以塊狀排列隨機分派至接受為期12週的站樁氣功組或控制組。測量變項包括六分鐘步行距離、憂鬱及生活品質。.
結果: 廣義估計方程式分析結果顯示相較於控制組，站樁氣功組於介入措施後第2、4及12週在六分鐘步行距離（分別是p = .001, p < .001, p < .001）及生活品質（分別是p = .016, p < .001, p < .001）均有顯著改善；憂鬱僅在介入措施後12週呈現顯著改善（p = .016）。.
結論／實務應用: 站樁氣功能有效改善心臟衰竭病人之運動耐力、憂鬱及生活品質，且無傷害性副作用。.
Keywords: Chan-Chuang qigong; depression; exercise capacity; heart failure; quality of life.