2.1. Study treatments
Anxiety, COPD, Self-Rating Depression
COPD, SECONDARY
All the patients provided written informed consent. The participants were randomly assigned to participate in either 52 weeks of Tai Chi combined with their usual care, or usual care alone. For balance, groups were assigned by a randomly varying blocks method. Assignments were sealed in numbering, opaque envelopes. The traditional Cheng Man-Ch’ing’s Yang-style short form of Tai Chi was used in the process. Patients of Tai Chi group were encouraged to practice Tai Chi outside at least 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time. They were also encouraged to practice Tai Chi outside at least 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time. The control group included conventional pharmacologic therapy, general exercise advice, and health education. Patients receiving routine treatment were offered Tai Chi at the end of the study. Nurses utilized telephone follow-ups once every 4 weeks to ensure the trial goes well. At the start of the trial and after 52-weeks, primary and secondary outcomes will be measured. The number of face-to-face (especially for prescriptions) is more than 2, and that of remote contacts with patients is more than 13. The use of inhaled glucocorticoids, bronchodilators (including β2-agonists, anticholinergics and theophylline), mucolytics, and antitussives was allowed to be continued during the trial. The acute exacerbation rate over 52-weeks was the main outcomes. Secondary outcomes included the time to first and second acute exacerbations, a pulmonary function test; symptom score evaluated by COPD assessment test (St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire [SGRQ]); Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). The SGRQ consisting of 4 dimensions (total, symptoms, activity, and impact) is a respiratory disease-specific questionnaire, and its scores range from 100 (worst) to 0 (best). SAS and SDS