QIBANE - Qigong and exercise for patients with chronic neck pain - a randomized controlled trial

QIBANE - Qigong and exercise for patients with chronic neck pain - a randomized controlled trial

 

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of qigong compared with exercise therapy and no treatment. Elderly patients with chronic neck pain (>6 months) were randomly assigned to qigong or exercise therapy (each 24 sessions over a period of 3 months) or to a waiting list control. Patients completed standardized questionnaires at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. The main outcome measure was average neck pain on the visual analogue scale after 3 months. Secondary outcomes were neck pain and disability (NPAD) and quality of life (SF-36). One hundred seventeen patients (age, 76 +/- 8 years, 95% women) were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. The average duration of neck pain was 19.0 +/- 14.9 years. After 3 months, no significant differences were observed between the qigong group and the waiting list control group (visual analogue scale mean difference, -11 mm [CI, -24.0; 2.1], P = .099) or between the qigong group and the exercise therapy group (-2.5 mm [ - 15.4; 10.3], P = .699). Results for the NPAD were similar (qigong vs waiting list -6.7 (-15.4; 2.1), P = .135; qigong vs exercise therapy 2.3 (-6.2; 10.8); P = .600). We found no significant effect after 3 months of qigong or exercise therapy compared with no treatment. Further studies should include outcomes more suitable to elderly patients, longer treatment, and patients with less chronic pain. PERSPECTIVE: In a randomized controlled study, we evaluated whether a treatment of 24 qigong sessions over a period of 3 months is (1) superior to no treatment and (2) superior to the same amount of exercise therapy in elderly patients (age, 76 +/- 8 years, 95% women) with long-term chronic neck pain (19.0 +/- 14.9 years). After 3 and 6 months, we found no significant differences for pain, neck pain, disability, and quality of life among the 3 groups.

Publications:

Wiedemann AM, von Trott P, Lüdtke R, Reisshauer A, Willich SN, Witt CM. Developing a Qigong Intervention and an Exercise Therapy for Elderly Patients with Chronic Neck Pain and the Study Protocol. Forsch Komplementärmed 2008;15:195-202.

von Trott P, Wiedemann AM, Lüdtke R, Reisshauer A, Willich SN, Witt CM. Qigong and Exercise therapy for elderly patients with chronic neck pain (QIBANE) - a randomized controlled study. The Journal of Pain 2009; DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2008.11.004.

Principle investigator:
Witt, MD, MBA

Research associate:
Wiedemann, MD
von Trott, MD

Statistics:
Lüdtke

Data management:
Icke

Study nurse:
Eden

Project duration:
2005-2008

Project status:
completed

Funding:
Investigator Initiated Trial 
Carstens Foundation