Table 1.
Characteristics of randomized controlled trials included in the meta-analysis.
| Participant characteristics | Intervention protocol | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| References | Country | Study design | Age, mean (SD) | N (EG/CG) | H&Y | Med | Intervention | Control | Outcome | Adverse effects |
| Schmitz-Hübsch et al. (2006) | Germany | RCT | EG:64(8) CG:63(8) | 56 (32/24) | NA | ON | Qigong 1 × 90 min/week 16 weeks | No intervention | UPDRS-III | NR |
| Hackney and Earhart (2008) | USA | RCT | EG:64.9(8.3) CG:62.6(10.2) | 23 (17/16) | 1.5–3 | ON | Tai Chi 2 × 60 min/week 13 weeks | No intervention | UPDRS-III; BBS; TUG; gait velocity; 6 MWT; stride length; OLBB | NR |
| Li et al. (2012) | USA | RCT | EG:68(9) CG1:69(8) CG2:69(9) | 195 (65/65/65) | 1–4 | ON | Tai Chi 2 × 60 min/week 24 weeks | Stretching; resistance | UPDRS-III; TUG; gait velocity; stride length; | Fall (n = 11) Muscle pain (n = 6) Dizziness (n = 5) Hypotension (n = 4) |
| Amano et al. (2013) | USA | RCT | EG:66(11) CG:66(7) | 24(15/9) | 2–3 | ON | Tai Chi 3 × 60 min/week 16 weeks | No intervention | UPDRS-III; gait velocity gait cadence; step length | NR |
| Choi et al. (2013) | Korea | RCT | EG:60.81(7.6) CG:65.54(6.8) | 20 (11/9) | 1–2 | ON | Tai Chi 3 × 60 min/week 12 weeks | No intervention | UPDRS-III; TUG; 6 MWT; OLBB | NR |
| Gao et al. (2014) | China | RCT | EG:69.54(7.32) CG:68.28(8.53) | 76 (37/39) | 1–4 | ON | Tai Chi 3 × 60 min/week 12 weeks | No intervention | UPDRS-III; BBS; TUG | NR |
| Zhang et al. (2015) | China | RCT | EG:66(11.8) CG:64.35(10.53) | 40 (20/20) | 1–3 | ON | Tai Chi 2 × 60 min/week 12 weeks | Multimodal exercise training | UPDRS-III; BBS; TUG; gait velocity; stride length | NR |
| Xiao and Zhuang (2016) | China | RCT | EG:66.52(2.13) CG:68.17(2.27) | 89 (45/44) | 1–3 | ON | Qigong (Baduanjin) 4 × 75 min/week 24 weeks | Walking | UPDRS-III; BBS; TUG; Gait velocity; 6 MWT; stride length | NR |
| Xiao et al. (2016) | China | RCT | EG/CG:67.8(9.4) | 68(35/33) | NA | ON | Qigong (Baduanjin) 4 × 60 min/week 24 weeks | Conventional training | UPDRS-III; BBS; TUG; Gait velocity; 6 MWT | NR |
| Liu et al. (2016) | China | RCT | EG:65.84(5.45) CG:62.5(3.13) | 41(23/18) | NA | ON | Qigong 5 × 60 min/week 10 weeks | Daily activities | One legged blind balance; TUG | NR |
| Lee et al. (2018) | Korea | RCT | EG:65.8(7.2) CG:65.7(6.4) | 41(25/16) | 1–3 | ON | Qigong (QI Dance) 2 × 60 min/week 8 weeks | No intervention | UPDRS-III; BBS | NR |
| Kurt et al. (2018) | Turkey | RCT | EG:62.41 (6.76) CG:63.61(7.18) | 40(20/20) | 2–3 | ON | Tai Chi (Ai Chi) 5 × 60 min/week 5 weeks | Land-based exercise | UPDRS-III; berg; TUG | NR |
| Vergara-Diaz et al. (2018) | USA | RCT | EG:65.7(3.86) CG:62.0(7.77) | 25(12/13) | 2–2.5 | OFF | Tai Chi 2 × 60 min/week 24 weeks | Usual healthcare | UPDRS-III; TUG; gait velocity; | NR |
| Wan et al. (2021) | China | RCT | EG:64.95(7.83) CG:67.03(7.47) | 40(20/20) | 1–4 | ON | Qigong 4 × 60 min/week 12 weeks | No intervention | TUG; gait velocity; stride length; gait cadence; OLBB | NR |
| Li et al. (2022) | China | RCT | EG:62.7(5.51) CG1:61.9(5.64) CG2:61.9(6.76) | 95(32/31/32) | 1–2.5 | ON | Tai Chi 2 × 60 min/week 48 weeks | Brisk walking; no intervention | UPDRS-III; BBS; TUG; gait velocity; gait cadence; stride length; step length | NR |
UPDRS-III, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III; BBS, Berg Balance Scales; 6 MWT, 6 min walking test; TUG, time up and go test; OLBB, one legged blind balance; H&Y, Hoehn and Yahr stage; NA, not available; Med, anti-Parkinson medication (“OFF” refers to medication off during measurement); NR, no report; EG, experimental group; CG, control group.