INTRODUCTION: The patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) always have emotional implications. As the branch of traditional Chinese medicine, five-animal frolics exercise (FAE) is a popular mind-body exercise in China and shown to improve emotional wellbeing. AIM: We aimed to explore the effects of FAE on the emotional disorders of CHD patients. METHODS: CHD patients were assigned into an experiment group (EG, FAE) and a control group (CG, routine nursing care). We measured serum levels of miR-124 and miR-135 and scores of the Hamilton Depression/Anxiety scale (HAMD/HAMA), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). RESULTS: After a 3-month FAE intervention, serum levels of miR-124 and miR-135 and the scores of HAMD/HAMA, SAS, SDS, and PSQI in the EG group were lower than those in the CG group, while SF-36 scores in the EG group were higher than those in the CG group (p < 0.05). Serum levels of miR-124 and miR-135 had a strong relationship with SAS and SDS scores (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The study suggests that FAE intervention controls anxiety and depression outcomes and improves life quality in CHD patients by affecting serum levels of miR-124 and miR-135.

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