ReviewSao Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina
Evidence for the efficacy of Tai Chi for treating rheumatoid arthritis: an overview of systematic reviews.
Review in Sao Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- The 2026 British Society for Rheumatology guideline for pain management in people with inflammatory arthritis.Rheumatology (Oxford, England) · 2026Guideline
- The effects of Tai Chi on physical function and safety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2023Pooled it
- Determining the safety and effectiveness of Tai Chi: a critical overview of 210 systematic reviews of controlled clinical trials.Systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- Reflections on 20 Years of Research on Tai Chi for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: An Updated Review.Current rheumatology reports · 2026Review
- Pathophysiology of Myopenia in rheumatoid arthritis.Bone research · 2025Review
- The Science of Tai Chi andJournal of integrative and complementary medicine · 2025Review
- Is Tai Chi beneficial for multisite pain syndrome in older adults?Aging clinical and experimental research · 2023Review
- Effects of 12-week Tai Chi program on physical function, depression, and quality of life among cognitively impaired older adults: a feasibility study.BMC geriatrics · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease with higher prevalence among women aged between 30 and 50 years and general prevalence of 1% worldwide. Interventions promoting improvement of quality of life for individuals with RA are required. Tai Chi appears to be a low-cost alternative, with studies showing positive results from this technique. However, regarding aspects of RA such as pain and sensitivity, studies remain inconclusive.
objectivesTo compare the effectiveness of the Tai Chi method for treating patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, among systematic reviews. DESIGN AND
settingOverview of systematic reviews with Cochrane and non-Cochrane methodology.
methodsSystematic reviews involving quasi-randomized and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on use of Tai Chi, with no restrictions regarding the date and language of publication, were included.
resultsThree systematic reviews were included. The effects of Tai Chi associated with education and stretching exercises versus education and stretching were evaluated in these reviews. They showed that improvements in the variables of mood, depression and functional index were associated with use of Tai Chi.
conclusionsThe findings suggest that clinical improvement was achieved, although not statistically significant with regard to pain and disease pattern, as assessed using the ACR20 measurement. Improvements relating to disability and quality of life were also seen. There was a low level of evidence and therefore caution in data analysis is recommended. The three studies included showed poor reliability for providing an accurate and complete summary of use of Tai Chi among people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. PROSPERO: CRD42019125501.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.