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Walking is more effective than yoga at reducing sleep disturbance in cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Sleep medicine reviews
October 1, 2019
Mei-Fen Tang et al. (7 authors)
Comparative StudyJournal ArticleMeta-AnalysisSystematic ReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to determine whether walking is more effective than yoga at improving sleep disturbance in cancer patients.

Results Summary

Walking significantly improved sleep disturbance compared to yoga (p = 0.01), with adherence rate and outcome measurement tools identified as significant moderators. Moderate-intensity walking was the most frequently used intervention and was recommended for cancer patients with sleep disturbance.

Population

Breast cancer patients (majority) and other cancer patients.

Effective Dosage

Moderate-intensity walking (specific frequency/duration not detailed).

Duration

Not specified.

Interactions

None mentioned.

Extracted Claims (3)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
walking
decrease
sleep disturbance
cancer patients
-
significantly improved
#1
walking
decrease
sleep disturbance
cancer patients
-
more effective than yoga
#2
moderate-intensity walking
decrease
sleep disturbance
cancer patients
-
recommended
#3
Abstract

This review aimed to determine whether walking is more effective than yoga at improving sleep disturbance in cancer patients. A systematic search of randomized controlled trials was performed in the PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Airiti Library, and other health-related databases. Twenty-five studies were identified with a total of 1918 participants. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index was the most commonly used outcome measurement tool, and moderate-intensity walking was the most frequently used intervention. The majority of the included subjects were breast cancer patients. Overall, walking significantly improved sleep disturbance compared to yoga (p = 0.01). Statistically significant moderators included adherence rate for walking (p < 0.001) and allocation concealment and outcome measurement tool for yoga (p = 0.04; p = 0.03). We concluded that walking is more effective than yoga in improving sleep disturbance in cancer patients. Thus, moderate-intensity walking is recommended for cancer patients with sleep disturbance.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansNeoplasmsSleep Wake DisordersWalkingYoga
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations18
Citations/Year3.0
Relative Citation Ratio0.93
NIH Percentile47.7%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score2.26
Normalized Score0.70
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