Using Tai Chi and Qigong to Treat COPD: An Application of Artificial Intelligence to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity worldwide. Although pharmacotherapy and conventional pulmonary rehabilitation improve outcomes, adherence remains suboptimal. Tai Chi and Qigong, mind-body practices from Traditional Chinese Medicine, have gained attention as low-cost, accessible adjunctive therapies.

Objective: To synthesize evidence from 21 clinical studies on the therapeutic effects of Tai Chi and Qigong in COPD using artificial intelligence-assisted literature summarization.

Methods: PubMed was searched for randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Grok (xAI) was employed to generate structured summaries of study design, participants, interventions, outcomes, mechanisms, strengths, and limitations.

Results: Tai Chi and Qigong consistently improved exercise capacity (6MWD mean difference up to 40.83 m), lung function (FEV1 up to 0.11 L; FEV1% predicted up to 1.67%), health-related quality of life (SGRQ reductions up to −16.75 points), exacerbation rates (RR 0.59), and psychological symptoms (anxiety/depression SMD up to −0.86). Benefits were mediated by enhanced respiratory muscle efficiency, diaphragmatic breathing, reduced systemic inflammation, and stress reduction. Interventions were safe and well-tolerated.

Conclusion: Tai Chi and Qigong are effective, safe, and feasible adjunctive therapies for COPD management. Large-scale, multicenter trials with standardized protocols are warranted to confirm long-term outcomes and optimal dosing.