Clinical study of qigong based on differentiation of syndromes of left ventricular function

This is a clinical study based on differentiation of syndromes, by using the left ventricular systolic function as the criterion to evaluate the effectiveness of qigong treatment.

1. Subjects: Among 71 cases 57 were males and 17 females by an average age of 61±5.6. The aged group includes 47 cases with an average age of 65.3±3.9. There were 60 cases in the control group of the same age.
2. Differentiation of syndromes and criteria.
3. Qigong patterns The patients were trained with different types of qigong . According to the theory of differentiation of syndromes deficiency syndrome was treated by the reinforcing method, excess syndrome was treated by the reducing method, heat syndrome was treated by the cooling method, yin was treated in the yang syndrome, etc. For example, kidney strengthening type qigong is for yin deficiency patients and qi generating type qigong is for yang deficiency patients.
4. Criteria: Left ventricular systolic function was measured in the morning by a Model RM-6000 Poligram. 8 indices were recorded, but here we only give a report of LVET PEP/ and PEP, LVET.
5. Results: The effects of the qigong treatment on PEP/LVET.

Discussion:
PEP/LVET is a reliable criterion in evaluation of the function of the left ventricle. The shortened LVET and prolonged PEP can be seen when cardiac function is affected. So, the ratio of PEP/LVET may sensitively indicate the changes of the cardiac function.
The results showed that after 3 months qigong training, PEP/LVET in the aged group, in the cardiovascular disease group and even in some abnormal cases were lower than that in the control or before qigong training. It suggested that the left ventricular systolic function was improved.
The normal range of PEP/LVET is 0.295--0.345. PEP/LVET above 0.38 is a symptom of cardiac disease. This index in our lab was 0.39. In this study, the mean PEP/LVET in all groups were higher than the normal. After the qigong treatment, the mean lowered to 0.35.
In yin deficiency group and the group of qi and yin deficiency it was 0.315. PEP/LVET in the group of deficiency complicated by excess syndrome lowered sharply from 0.419 to 0.37. Changes of PEP/LVET before and after the qigong exercise (X + SD):[in the following table, ± represents +/-]

Group Cases Before After

Aged 47 0.386±0.008 * * 0.356±0.007# #
Abnormal cardiac function 23 0.434±0.008 * * 0.380±0.009# #
Cardiovascular diseases 32 0.404±0.01 * * 0.380±0.009# #
Yin deficiency 28 0.374±0.007 * * 0.341±0.006#
Qi and yin deficiency 22 0.370±0.01 0.340±0.009#
Deficiency complicated 22 0.419±0.0l * * 0.375±0.01#D
by excess
Total 74 0.370±0.008 * * 0.350±0.006#
Aged control 60 0.346±0.004

(a) Before the qigong treatment, PEP/ LVET was higher than that of the control, indicating the pathological state of the groups (* P<0.05; * * P < 0.01)
(b) After the qigong treatment, the difference of PEP/LVET between the pathological groups and control group was not significant.(D P>O.05), showing the improvement of the cardiac function.
(c) The comparison between the condition before and after the qigong treatment showed that PEP/LVET was significantly modified (# P<0.05; # # P<0.01).

All of these results indicate that the qigong treatment based on differentiation of syndromes is helpful to the cardiac function. The yin deficiency group got the best result and the group of deficiency complicated by excess got the second best effect.