Effect of Tai Chi on sleep quality of cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective The aim of meta-analysis was to analyze the impact of Tai Chi (TC) on the sleep quality of cancer patients. Methods The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting the effect of TC on sleep quality of cancer patients were searched from seven electronic databases, and their methodological quality was assessed. The sleep quality of cancer patients was evaluated using Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). Heterogeneity was tested by Cochran‘s Q and I 2 test. Egger test assessed the publication bias. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of each study on the combined results. Results Three RCTs with moderate methodological quality were included, which were executed in China and included a total of 145 patients. The pooled results showed that TC significantly improved the sleep quality of cancer patients [WMD (95%CI) = −3.34 (−4.42, −2.27), p < 0.0001]. No publication bias was observed among studies ( p = 0.394). Conclusion TC can improve the sleep quality of cancer patients. It is recommended to develop standardized protocols for TC and explore its long-term effects. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251275343 , identifier: CRD420251275343.