BACKGROUND: Baduanjin is a kind of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, but its effect on the cardiac rehabilitation (CR) of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) is controversial. Furthermore, the small sample size of a single study and the inconsistent selection of evaluation indicators among different studies all promote the necessity of conducting a meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aims to explore whether Baduanjin can effectively improve the cardiopulmonary function in patients with CHD and to assess the extrapolation of the results. METHODS: Both English and Chinese databases were used for literature retrieval. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included literature. A weighted mean difference and a 95% confidence interval were used to assess the effects of Baduanjin on cardiopulmonary function based on multiple CR indicators. Cochran's Q and I tests were used for the heterogeneity test. A funnel plot and an Egger test were used to evaluate publication bias. RESULTS: After literature retrieval, a total of 12 literature papers were included in this meta-analysis, but their methodological quality was unsatisfactory. By comparing differences between CHD patients with and without Baduanjin, we found that levels of 6MWT, LVEF, NT-proBNP, VO, peak VO, MVV, and VE, AT were significantly improved in the experimental group, but heterogeneity exists among included studies. Results of subgroup analyses were consistent with combined estimates and suggested a significant effect of Baduanjin on LVEF. The Egger test indicated no significant publication bias. CONCLUSION: Baduanjin is beneficial to CR in CHD patients, but multiple region-based high-quality studies are necessary to verify the results.

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