SynthesisFrontiers in public health2025
Comparative effectiveness of traditional Chinese exercises for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of various traditional Chinese exercises on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in middle-aged and older adult(s) individuals through a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were retrieved from six databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar. A total of 20 RCTs involving 1,457 middle-aged and older adult(s) KOA patients were included. Interventions included Tai Chi, Baduanjin, Wuqinxi, and Yijinjing. Mean Difference (MD) was used as the effect size for continuous outcomes (WOMAC subscales, SF-36, VAS, 6MWT). A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed, and interventions were ranked using the Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking Area (SUCRA). Results: The network meta-analysis, based on SUCRA rankings, showed: For pain relief, Yijinjing combined with electroacupuncture (WOMAC Pain SUCRA: 0.77) and Tai Chi (SUCRA: 0.72) performed best; Tai Chi was also optimal for VAS score (SUCRA: 0.97). For improving joint stiffness (WOMAC Stiffness SUCRA: 0.90) and physical function (WOMAC Function SUCRA: 0.84), Baduanjin was the most effective. Regarding quality of life, Tai Chi ranked highest for physical health (SF-36 PCS SUCRA: 0.89), while Yijinjing ranked highest for mental health (SF-36 MCS SUCRA: 0.99). Usual care (SUCRA: 0.80) and Tai Chi (SUCRA: 0.66) performed best on the 6-min walk test (6MWT). Conclusion: Tai Chi and Baduanjin appear to be highly effective non-pharmacological options for alleviating pain, improving function, and enhancing quality of life in middle-aged and older adult(s) KOA patients. These findings support individualized exercise prescriptions. However, these results should be interpreted with caution. The included studies were overwhelmingly from China, which may introduce regional bias. Future research with more diverse populations is needed to confirm these findings. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/home, identifier: CRD4202457307.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.