E1 ReplicatedPreliminaryPEM not requiredRCTPeer-reviewedMachine draft
The Qigong of Prolong Life With Nine Turn Method Relieve Fatigue, Sleep, Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Study.
Xie, Fangfang, You, Yanli, Guan, Chong et al. · Frontiers in medicine · 2022 · DOI
Quick Summary
This study tested whether a traditional Chinese exercise called Qigong (specifically the Prolong Life with Nine Turn Method) could help people with ME/CFS feel less tired, sleep better, and experience less anxiety and depression. Ninety patients tried either the Qigong exercise or cognitive behavioral therapy (a talk-based treatment) for 12 weeks, and both groups improved significantly, with Qigong showing slightly better results.
Why It Matters
This study provides evidence that traditional movement-based therapies like Qigong may offer an alternative or complementary approach to treating core ME/CFS symptoms including fatigue, sleep dysfunction, and mood disturbances. The differential effects on neuropeptide Y suggest biological mechanisms underlying symptom improvement that warrant further investigation.
Observed Findings
- Both PLWNT and CBT groups showed statistically significant improvements in fatigue scores, sleep quality, and anxiety/depression measures after 12 weeks.
- PLWNT group achieved a 62.22% response rate compared to 50% in the CBT group.
- Peripheral blood neuropeptide Y (NPY) decreased following PLWNT intervention but increased following CBT.
- Fatigue in the PLWNT group was positively correlated with sleep disturbance (r=0.315) and anxiety (r=0.333).
- In the CBT group, only anxiety showed significant correlation with fatigue (r=0.332).
Inferred Conclusions
- PLWNT Qigong exercise appears to be an effective rehabilitation method for managing multiple CFS symptoms including fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depression.
- The opposing effects on NPY levels between PLWNT and CBT suggest these interventions may work through distinct biological mechanisms.
- Qigong may be a viable alternative or complementary approach to cognitive behavioral therapy for CFS symptom management.
Remaining Questions
- What is the optimal frequency and intensity of PLWNT Qigong for CFS patients, and how long do benefits persist after intervention ends?
- Does PLWNT improve post-exertional malaise or objective measures of physical capacity, or does it primarily affect symptom perception?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not prove Qigong is superior to CBT for CFS, nor does it establish causation—both groups improved, making it impossible to determine which intervention was responsible. The study lacks a true no-treatment control group, so observed improvements could partly reflect placebo effect, natural fluctuation, or increased attention. Additionally, the study measures fatigue and mood but does not assess post-exertional malaise or objective physical capacity, which are central to ME/CFS pathophysiology.
Tags
Symptom:Unrefreshing SleepFatigue
Biomarker:Blood Biomarker
Method Flag:PEM Not DefinedWeak Case DefinitionSmall Sample
Metadata
- DOI
- 10.3389/fmed.2022.828414
- PMID
- 35847786
- Review status
- Machine draft
- Evidence level
- Replicated human evidence from multiple independent studies
- Last updated
- 8 April 2026
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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