Results of selected meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials on the benefits of exercise therapy in the treatment of patients with specific diseases
| Study, year | Disease | Outcome measure | No. studies (no. participants) | Effect size of exercise compared to controls, pooled statistics (95% CI)* |
| Fransen et al, 20083 | Osteoarthritis | Self-reported pain | 32 (3616) | Standardised mean difference −0.40 (−0.50 to −0.30) |
| Fransen et al, 20083 | Osteoarthritis | Self-reported physical function limitations | 31 (3719) | Standardised mean difference −0.37 (−0.49 to −0.25) |
| Hernandez-Molina et al, 20086 | Hip osteoarthritis | Self-reported pain | 8 (493) | Standardised mean difference −0.46 (−0.64 to −0.28) |
| Hayden et al, 200512 | Non-specific chronic (>12 weeks) low back pain | Pain, visual analogue scale (scaled to 0 to 100 points) | 8 (370) | Weighted mean difference −10.20 points (−19.09 to −1.31) |
| Hayden et al, 200512 | Non-specific chronic (>12 weeks) low back pain | Condition-specific functioning limitations (scaled to 0 to 100 points) | 7 (337) | Weighted mean difference −2.97 points (−6.48 to 0.53) |
| Busch et al, 200714 | Fibromyalgia | Pain | 4 (223) | Standardised mean difference −0.81 (−1.47 to −0.15) |
| Busch et al, 200714 | Fibromyalgia | Tender points | 6 (349) | Standardised mean difference −0.76 (−1.53 to 0.01) |
| Busch et al, 200714 | Fibromyalgia | Global well-being | 4 (269) | Standardised mean difference 0.49 (0.23 to 0.75) |
| Busch et al, 200714 | Fibromyalgia | Physical function | 4 (253) | Standardised mean difference 0.66 (0.41 to 0.92) |
| Jolliffe et al, 200115 | Coronary heart disease | All cause mortality | 12 (2582) | Odds ratio 0.73 (0.54 to 0.98) |
| Jolliffe et al, 200115 | Coronary heart disease | Cardiac mortality | 8 (2312) | Odds ratio 0.69 (0.51 to 0.94) |
| Jolliffe et al, 200115 | Coronary heart disease | Non-fatal myocardial infarction | 9 (2104) | Odds ratio 0.96 (0.69 to 1.35) |
| Nolan et al, 200817 | Coronary heart disease | Heart rate variability | 16 (631) | Standardised mean difference 0.36 (0.18 to 0.55) |
| Rees et al, 200419 | Heart failure | Maximal oxygen uptake | 24 (848) | Weighted mean difference 2.16 ml/kg/min (1.49 to 2.82) |
| Rees et al, 200419 | Heart failure | Distance on 6-min walk | 8 (282) | Weighted mean difference 41 m (17 to 65) |
| Smart and Marwick, 200420 | Heart failure | Mortality | 30 (1197) | Odds ratio 0.71 (0.37, 1.02) |
| Watson et al, 200821 | Intermittent claudication | Maximal walking time | 7 (255) | Weighted mean difference 5.12 min (4.51 to 7.52) |
| van de Port et al, 200723 | Stroke | Maximum walking speed | 12 (501) | Standardised effect size 0.45 (0.27 to 0.63) |
| van de Port et al, 200723 | Stroke | Walking distance | 9 (451) | Standardised effect size 0.62 (0.30 to 0.95) |
| Cornelissen and Fagard, 200524 | Hypertension | Systolic blood pressure | 30 (492) | Mean net change −6.9 mm Hg (−9.1 to −4.6) |
| Cornelissen and Fagard, 200524 | Hypertension | Diastolic blood pressure | 30 (492) | Mean net change −4.9 mm Hg (−6.5 to −3.3) |
| Kelley et al, 200626 | Cardiovascular disease | HDL cholesterol | 6 (637) | Weighted mean difference 3.7 mg/dl (1.2 to 6.1) |
| Kelley et al, 200626 | Cardiovascular disease | Triglycerides | 9 (1172) | Weighted mean difference −19.3 mg/dl (−30.1 to −8.5) |
| Thomas et al, 200627 | Type 2 diabetes | Glycated haemoglobin percentage (HbA1c) | 13 (361) | Weighted mean difference −0.62% (−0.91% to −0.33%) |
| Boyle et al, 200328 | Type 2 diabetes | Maximal oxygen uptake | 9 (266) | Standardised mean difference 0.53 (0.18 to 0.88) |
| Kelley and Kelley, 200731 | Type 2 diabetes | LDL cholesterol | 4 (156) | Weighted mean difference −6.4 mg/dl (−11.8 to −1.1) |
| Ram et al, 200532 | Asthma | Resting lung function (FEV1) | 5 (129) | Weighted mean difference 0.01 litres (−0.14 to 0.16) |
| Ram et al, 200532 | Asthma | Maximal ventilation (VEmax) | 4 (111) | Weighted mean difference 6.00 litres/min (1.57 to 10.43) |
| Ram et al, 200532 | Asthma | Maximal oxygen uptake | 7 (175) | Weighted mean difference 5.4 ml/kg/min (4.2 to 6.6) |
| Salman et al, 200333 | COPD | Walking distance | 20 (979) | Standardised effect size 0.71 (0.43 to 0.99) |
| Salman et al, 200333 | COPD | Shortness of breath by Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire | 12 (723) | Standardised effect size −0.62 (−0.91 to −0.26) |
| Goodwin et al, 200836 | Parkinson disease | Physical functioning limitations | 7 (360) | Standardised mean difference −0.47 (−0.82 to −0.12) |
| Goodwin et al, 200836 | Parkinson disease | Health-related quality of life limitations | 4 (292) | Standardised mean difference −0.27 (−0.51 to −0.04) |
| Heyn et al, 200438 | Cognitive impairment | Cardiovascular fitness | 18 (1059) | Standardised effect size 0.62 (0.45 to 0.78) |
| Heyn et al 200438 | Cognitive impairment | Cognitive outcomes | 12 (820) | Standardised effect size 0.57 (0.38 to 0.75) |
| Mead et al, 200839 | Depression | Depression symptoms | 23 (907) | Standardised mean difference −0.82 (−1.12 to −0.51) |
| Edmonds et al, 200440 | Chronic fatigue syndrome | Chalder fatigue scale | 5 (286) | Standardised mean difference −0.77 (−1.26 to −0.28) |
| Edmonds et al, 200440 | Chronic fatigue syndrome | Quality of life limitations, SF-36 physical functioning subscale | 3 (162) | Standardised mean difference −0.64 (−0.96 to −0.33) |
| Shamliyan et al, 200841 | Urinary incontinence | Contingence rate | 4 (647) | Pooled risk difference 0.13 (0.07 to 0.20) |
| Markes et al, 200642 | Breast cancer | Cardiorespiratory fitness | 5 (207) | Standardised mean difference 0.66 (0.20 to 1.12) |
| Cramp and Daniel, 200843 | Cancer | Fatigue | 30 (1662) | Standardised mean difference −0.23 (−0.33 to −0.13) |
*All estimates reported in this table favour exercise groups; effect sizes as reported by the authors of original meta-analyses.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; LDL, low-density lipoprotein, SF-36, Short Form 36 questionnaire.