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Journal of Cancer Survivorship
Published in: Journal of Cancer Survivorship 1/2015

01-03-2015

Blood pressure, salivary cortisol, and inflammatory cytokine outcomes in senior female cancer survivors enrolled in a tai chi chih randomized controlled trial

Authors: Rebecca A. Campo, Kathleen C. Light, Kathleen O’Connor, Yoshio Nakamura, David Lipschitz, Paul C. LaStayo, Lisa M. Pappas, Kenneth M. Boucher, Michael R. Irwin, Harry R. Hill, Thomas B Martins, Neeraj Agarwal, Anita Y. Kinney

Published in: Journal of Cancer Survivorship | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Purpose

Older cancer survivors are a vulnerable population due to an increased risk for chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease) compounded with treatment late-effects and declines in physical functioning. Therefore, interventions that reduce chronic disease risk factors (i.e., blood pressure, chronic inflammation, and cortisol) are important in this population. Tai chi chih (TCC) is a mind-body exercise associated with reductions in chronic disease risk factors, but has not been examined with older cancer survivors. In a feasibility randomized controlled trial of TCC, we examined secondary outcomes of blood pressure, salivary cortisol, and inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-10, IL-4) due to their implications in chronic diseases.

Methods

Sixty-three senior female cancer survivors (M age = 67 years, SD = 7.15) with physical functioning limitations (SF-12 physical functioning ≤80 or role-physical ≤72) were randomized to 12-weeks (60-min, three times a week) of TCC or Health Education control (HEC) classes. Resting blood pressure, 1-day salivary cortisol samples, and fasting plasma samples for cytokine multiplex assays were collected at baseline and 1-week post-intervention.

Results

Controlling for baseline values, the TCC group had significantly lower systolic blood pressure (SBP, p = 0.002) and cortisol area-under-curve (AUC, p = 0.02) at post-intervention than the HEC group. There was no intervention effect on inflammatory cytokines (p’s > 0.05).

Conclusions

This TCC feasibility trial was associated with significant reductions in SBP and cortisol AUC in senior female cancer survivors. Larger, definitive trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Senior survivors’ have an increased risk for chronic diseases; however, TCC interventions may help reduce associated risk factors.
Footnotes
1
The study’s physical assessments (i.e., blood draw for cytokines, blood pressure assessed) were held during a morning session 1 week before the classes began, before participants’ randomization to study group, and during a morning session 1 week following the last study class. The sessions were held in a group format in which all the participants attended.
 
2
We also conducted an ANCOVA subanalysis for SBP that excluded the five TCC participants who reported a history of a heart attack and found similar results (p = 0.004).
 
3
The sample times for the cortisol AUC analysis were fixed at 7:00 am, 7:30 am, 12:00 noon, 5:00 pm, and 10:00 pm. We recognize that this is a study limitation and that these results should be viewed as preliminary.
 
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Metadata
Title
Blood pressure, salivary cortisol, and inflammatory cytokine outcomes in senior female cancer survivors enrolled in a tai chi chih randomized controlled trial
Authors
Rebecca A. Campo
Kathleen C. Light
Kathleen O’Connor
Yoshio Nakamura
David Lipschitz
Paul C. LaStayo
Lisa M. Pappas
Kenneth M. Boucher
Michael R. Irwin
Harry R. Hill
Thomas B Martins
Neeraj Agarwal
Anita Y. Kinney
Publication date
01-03-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Cancer Survivorship / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 1932-2259
Electronic ISSN: 1932-2267
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-014-0395-x

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