Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Research Article

Relaxation Techniques for People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Inclusion and exclusion criteria.


Category	Criteria

Study population	Individuals hospitalized or outpatients
	Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or with severe airflow obstruction

Time period	1970–2014

Publication languages	English

Admissible study designs	Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
	Studies that provide sufficient detail regarding methods and results to enable use and adjustment of the data to effect size computation

Interventions	Must approach one or more of the following interventions: (i) relaxation techniques; (ii) progressive muscle relaxation; (iii) guided imagery; (iv) distraction therapy; (v) biofeedback; (vi) breathing techniques (diaphragmatic breathing, Pursed-Lips Breathing); (vii) yoga; (viii) Tai Chi; (ix) acupressure
	Not allowed studies providing for the comparison between a control group and one subjected to a pulmonary rehabilitation in which the relaxation constituted only one component of a few minutes
	Not allowed studies that compared two rehabilitation programs in which relaxation was present equally

Control group	Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), hospitalized or outpatients
	Not allowed studies with healthy subjects and volunteers or with other diseases in the control group
	It has not been subjected to any treatment or to usual rehabilitation treatments or placebo or to activities not expressly relaxing (i.e., handcrafts)

Variables	Must assess baseline and outcome data for one or more of the following variables: (i) percentage of Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second (FEV₁); (ii) anxiety; (iii) depression; (iv) quality of life (QoL)

Other information	If possible, they should provide data on other important variables, comprising those in text and tables: (i) number of subjects; (ii) mean age; (iii) geographic origin; (iv) assessment measures; (v) homework; (vi) number of session or protocol length; (vii) trial context.