Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of the Study Participants.*
| Variable | Tai Chi Group (N = 33) | Control Group (N = 33) |
|---|---|---|
| Female sex — no. of patients (%) | 28 (85) | 29 (88) |
| Age — yr | 49.7±11.8 | 50.5±10.5 |
| White race — no. of patients (%)† | 20 (61) | 17 (52) |
| High-school or higher education — no. of patients (%) | 31 (94) | 30 (91) |
| Body-mass index‡ | 33.9±8.9 | 31.5±7.4 |
| Duration of fibromyalgia-related pain — yr | 11.8±6.9 | 10.0±7.2 |
| Medications taken before intervention — no. of patients (%) | ||
| Analgesics | 29 (88) | 24 (73) |
| Antidepressants | 17 (51) | 15 (45) |
| Anticonvulsants | 9 (27) | 5 (15) |
| Muscle relaxants | 9 (27) | 4 (12) |
| Benzodiazepines | 5 (15) | 3 (9) |
| Self-reported coexisting illness — no. of patients (%) | ||
| Heart disease | 0 | 0 |
| Hypertension | 12 (36) | 6 (18) |
| Diabetes | 6 (18) | 1 (3) |
| FIQ score§ | 62.9±15.5 | 68.0±11 |
| Visual-analogue scale¶ | ||
| Patient’s global assessment | 5.8±2.3 | 6.3±1.8 |
| Physician’s global assessment | 5.7±1.9 | 5.6±2.4 |
| PSQI score|| | 13.9±3.1 | 13.5±3.7 |
| SF-36 score** | ||
| Physical component | 28.5±8.4 | 28.0±7.8 |
| Mental component | 42.6±12.2 | 37.8±10.5 |
| CES-D score†† | 22.6±9.2 | 27.8±9.2 |
| CPSS score‡‡ | 5.2±1.9 | 4.6±2.2 |
| 6-Minute walk test — yd§§ | 522.1±102.7 | 501.2±106.6 |
| Outcome Expectations for Exercise score¶¶ | 3.7±0.8 | 3.9±0.7 |
Plus–minus values are means ±SD unless otherwise noted.
Race was reported by the patients.
The body-mass index is the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. This value was missing for one patient in the tai chi group.
The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) assesses physical function, common symptoms, and general well-being in fibromyalgia. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms.
Patient global status was assessed separately by the participant and the study physician with the use of a visual-analogue scale. Scores range from 0 to 10, with 0 equaling no pain.
Scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating worse sleep quality.
The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) is a self-administered, 36-item questionnaire that assesses the concepts of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, social function, bodily pain, general mental health, role limitations due to emotional problems, vitality, and general health perceptions. Note that both the physical and mental component summaries can be combined. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health status.
Scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) index range from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating more dysphoria. The difference between the scores of the two treatment groups was significant (P<0.05).
The Chronic Pain Self-Efficacy Scale (CPSS) reflects the patients’ confidence in their ability to perform a particular behavior or task and is believed to be a determinant of fibromyalgia symptoms. Scores range from 1 to 10, with higher scores indicating better status.
The 6-minute walk test measures the distance covered during the 6-minute walk (in yards) as an objective assessment of mobility. It was considered to be a proxy for physical function, with higher scores indicating improved functional conditioning in fibromyalgia. To convert yards to meters, multiply by 0.9144.
Scores on the Outcome Expectations for Exercise Scale range from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating high outcome expectations.