Protective Effect Of Tai Chi On Cardiac-cerebral Vascular Health In Community Older Population With High Risk Of Stroke:A Randomized Controlled Study

ObjectiveTo systematically analysis the protective effect of Tai Chi exercise on cardiac-cerebral vascular health in community elderly population with high risk of stroke. It is better to provide evidence for carrying out the program of preventing stroke in the community in the future.Methods170 eligible participants who came from three communities center in Gulou district, Fuzhou city were recruited. The participants were allocated randomly into two groups as a 1:1 ratio,85 participants in each group. Training group were guided by the qualified Tai Chi instructors who have engaged in teaching of Tai Chi for at least five years in the sports department of the university. The control group maintained their original physical activity, and not received any intervention. Training group were gathered at community center to practice 24 forms simplified Tai Chi for 12 weeks,5 days a week and 60 minutes one day. Two groups were followed up for 12 weeks after intervention. The outcomes covered cerebral vascular hemodynamic, cerebrovascular elasticity, cardiac structure and function, static lung function, balance. All outcomes were measured at baseline, end of the 12-week intervention period and the additional 12-week follow-up period.Results(1) The end of the intervention compared with before intervention, training group and control group were no significant different on the cerebrovascular function. Before and after intervention, training group in terms of pulsatility index and resistance index, basal artery, bilateral anterior cerebral artery showed a trend of decrease, bilateral middle cerebral artery and right posterior cerebral artery had no obvious change, left posterior cerebral artery showed a trend of increase. In terms of blood flow velocity, the bilateral anterior cerebral artery, left middle cerebral artery and the left posterior cerebral artery showed a trend of increase, right middle cerebral artery and right posterior cerebral artery had no obvious change, basal artery showed a trend of decrease. The end of the follow-up compared with the end of the intervention, two groups of cerebrovascular function showed no statistically significant difference.(2) Before and after the intervention, training group and control group in the results of cardiac structure and function had no obvious change trend, there was no statistically significant difference in both groups. The main pulmonary artery diameter has significant differences(P=0.012<0.05) at the end of follow up, other results no statistical significance.(3) Before and after the intervention, training group and control group, there was no significant difference on static lung function, maximum vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second and maximum ventilatory volume showed a trend of increase,1 second rate showed a trend of decrease, but still in the normal parameters. At the end of follow-up, there was no significant difference on static lung function between two groups,.ConclusionIt was showed a tendency to improve of 12 weeks of Tai Chi exercise on cardiovascular function, cerebrovascular function and static lung function in community elderly population with high risk of stroke, but there was no significant difference. It maybe related to that the movements were difficult to standardize and unity, and so on.