Comparing the effects of different exercises on blood pressure and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of different exercises on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) in postmenopausal women. We searched the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane library databases, up to July 2022. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected following the inclusion criteria. We assessed study quality with the PEDro scale. The Stata software was used for statistical analysis. Twenty-three papers (26 RCTs) and 729 participants were included. Meta-analysis demonstrated that exercise decreased SBP (WMD = −6.74 mmHg, 95%CI: −9.08, −4.41, p = 0.000), DBP (WMD = −4.13 mmHg, 95%CI: −5.78, −2.48, p = 0.000) and aortic PWV (WMD = −0.79 m/s, 95%CI: −1.02, −0.56, p = 0.000). Aerobic exercise can significantly decrease SBP (WMD = −7.97 mmHg, 95%CI: −12.99, −2.60, p = 0.003) and DBP (WMD = −5.97 mmHg, 95%CI: −8.55, −3.39, p = 0.000). Resistance exercise can significantly decrease SBP (WMD = −5.62 mmHg, 95%CI: −9.00, −2.23, p = 0.001), DBP (WMD = −1.87 mmHg, 95%CI: −2.75, −0.99, p = 0.000) and aortic PWV (WMD = −0.67 m/s，95%CI: −0.98, −0.36, p = 0.000). Combined aerobic and resistance exercise can significantly decrease SBP (WMD = −5.42 mmHg, 95%CI: −10.17, −0.68, p = 0.025). The efficacy of mind-body exercise (Tai Chi/Yoga) on SBP, DBP, and aortic PWV were not obvious (p > 0.05). Exercise significantly improved SBP, DBP, and aortic PWV in postmenopausal women. Aerobic exercise decreased SBP and DBP. Resistance exercise decreased SBP, DBP, and aortic PWV. Additionally, further research is required to confirm the efficacy of mind-body exercise (Tai Chi/Yoga) on blood pressure and arterial stiffness.