Effectiveness of Tai Chi on Blood Pressure, Stress, Fatigue, and Sleep Quality among Chinese Women with Episodic Migraine: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Table 1

Baseline characteristics and migraine trigger factors of the participants^a.

	Intervention (n = 40)	Control (n = 33)
Age, years
<45	8 (20.0)	13 (39.4)
≥45	32 (80.0)	20 (60.6)
BMI, kg/m^2
Nonobese (<23)	21 (52.5)	17 (51.5)
Overweight/obesity (≥23)	19 (47.5)	16 (48.5)
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg	123.3 (15.3)	116.9 (14.2)
Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg	76.8 (10.5)	71.7 (9.1)
Stress level (PSS score)	25.1 (6.7)	24.5 (6.2)
Fatigue (NRS-fatigue score)	5.8 (2.0)	6.0 (1.7)
Sleep quality (PSQI score)	8.5 (3.6)	7.8 (3.2)
Marital status
Single	14 (35.0)	6 (18.2)
Married/cohabitating/divorced/separated/widowed	26 (65.0)	27 (81.8)
Education
Matriculation or below	23 (57.5)	16 (48.5)
Tertiary or above	17 (42.5)	17 (51.5)
Occupation
Employed	21 (52.5)	22 (66.7)
Unemployed	13 (32.5)	10 (30.3)
Retired	6 (15.0)	1 (3.0)
Housing
Self-owned property	26 (65.0)	20 (60.6)
Rental property and others	13 (32.5)	13 (39.4)
Living district
Hong Kong Island	2 (5.0)	6 (18.2)
Kowloon	18 (45.0)	12 (36.4)
New territories	19 (47.5)	15 (45.5)
Monthly family income
<$40,000	28 (70.0)	21 (63.6)
≥$40,000	11 (27.5)	11 (33.3)
Hypertension^b	2 (5.0)	6 (18.2)
High cholesterol^b	8 (20.0)	3 (9.1)
Health check in the past 2 years^b	27 (67.5)	22 (66.7)
Clinical breast examination in the past 2 years^b	13 (32.5)	12 (36.4)
IPAQ total physical activity, MET-min/week	1726.5 (1019.6–2556.8)	2302.0 (1044.8–5625.0)
Physical activity category
Inactive	6 (15.0)	2 (6.1)
Minimally active	29 (72.5)	26 (78.8)
Health-enhancing physical activity active	3 (7.5)	5 (15.2)
Drinking^b	21 (52.5)	25 (75.8)
Age of menarche, year(s)	12.3 (1.6)	12.9 (1.6)
Length of the current menstrual cycle, day(s)^c	28.9 (2.0)	30.0 (4.7)
Menopause^b	23 (57.5)	13 (39.4)
Family history of migraine^b	11 (27.5)	14 (42.4)

^aValues reported as mean (SD), n (%), or median (interquartile range) for each group where appropriate. ^bVariables showed the number and percentage that counted “Yes” for each group. ^cAmong those who had not started menopause only (n = 31).