Table 1

Summary of the BP response to the exercise alone (EXalone), medications alone (MEDSalone), and exercise and medications combined (EX+MEDScombined) treatment arms (mean±SE) compared with control in the acute and chronic RCTs (K=12) and the treatment arm comparisons

 Treatment arm post-BP vs pre-BP changeTreatment arm comparisons of the BP change between each arm
Trial type (K=# of trials, n=# of subjects)EXaloneMEDSaloneEX+MEDScombinedEXalone +
MEDSalone		EXalone vs EX+MEDScombinedMEDSalone vs EX+MEDScombinedEXalone +MEDSalone vs
EX+MEDScombined		EXalone vs MEDSalone
Acute        
SBP
(K=7, n=88)		−17.76±4.02§
ES=−2.53
I2=0.88*		−9.22±1.58‡
ES=−2.85
I2=0.42†		−16.58±3.37‡
ES=−2.66
I2=0.75*		−26.98±5.31‡
ES=−2.69		−1.18±2.03**
ES=−0.53		7.35±2.43§
ES=2.06		−10.40±2.28§
ES=−2.28		−8.53±3.01§
ES=−1.99
DBP
(K=6, n=78)		−5.60±1.65§
ES=−2.03
I2=0.40*		−5.48±1.26§
ES=−2.28
I2=0.53*		−6.61±1.42§
ES=−2.35
I2=0.22*		−11.08±2.60§
ES=−2.26		1.01±1.30**
ES=0.69		1.13±1.18**
ES=0.83		−4.47±1.87¶
ES=−1.66		−0.12±1.37**
ES=−0.08
Chronic (K=5, n=254)        
SBP−6.47±1.46§
ES=−1.98
I2=0.07**
(n=89)		−12.32±2.18§
ES=−2.17
I2=0.06§
(n=177)		−14.96±2.59§
ES=−2.19
I2=0.14†
(n=254)		−18.80±2.64§
ES=−2.34		8.49±2.90¶
ES=1.64		2.63±3.07**
ES=0.71		−3.84±3.36**
ES=−0.89		5.85±2.60**
ES=1.43
DBP−5.08±1.08§
ES=−2.03
I2=0.00**
(n=89)		−9.85±0.99‡
ES=−2.58
I2=0.00**
(n=177)		−9.29±1.53§
ES=−2.22
I2=0.08*
(n=254)		−14.93±1.46‡
ES=−2.60		4.20 ±1.87**
ES=1.43		−0.56±1.82**
ES=−0.27		−5.65±2.12**
ES=−1.57		4.77±1.46¶
ES=1.74
Acute versus chronic        
SBP−11.29±4.27§
ES=−2.21		3.10±2.69**
ES=1.08		−1.62±4.24**
ES=−0.37		−8.18±5.93**
ES=−1.28		−9.67±3.54§
ES=−2.27		4.72±3.92**
ES=1.12		−6.56±4.42**
ES=−1.36		−14.39±3.98‡
ES=−2.77
DBP−0.51±1.97**
ES=−0.25		3.18±1.50¶
ES= 1.83		2.67±2.09**
ES=1.18		2.67±2.93**
ES=0.86		−3.91±2.28**
ES=−1.28		0.51±2.10**
ES=0.23		−0.00±2.77**
ES=−0.00		−3.70±1.92¶
ES=−1.69
Total        
SBP
(K=12, n=342)		−14.29±3.14‡
ES=−3.20
I2=0.84*
(n=177)		−9.85±1.76†
ES=−3.59
I2=0.60*
(n=265)		−15.89±2.49†
ES=−3.83
I2=0.63*
(n=342)		−24.14±3.75†
ES=−3.84		1.60±3.01**
ES=0.51		6.04±1.46‡
ES=3.01		−8.25±2.47‡
ES=−2.62		−4.44±3.43**
ES=−1.20
DBP
(K=11, n=332)		−6.05±1.32‡
ES=−3.12
I2=0.36*
(n=167)		−6.24±1.05†
ES=−3.58
I2=0.43*
(n=255)		−7.61±1.17†
ES=−3.73
I2=0.17*
(n=332)		−12.29±2.12†
ES=−3.54		1.56±1.11**
ES=1.28		1.37±0.98**
ES=1.28		−4.68±1.58§
ES=−2.37		0.19±1.09**
ES=0.17

  • P values are calculated based on a t distribution with df ranging from 2 to 9. Effect sizes are converted to the standard normal scale. The strength of an effect size is in the absolute value: <1.64 insufficient**, 1.64–1.96 small¶, 1.96–2.58 moderate§, 2.58–3.29 large‡ and >3.29 very large*†, which correspond to P values: >0.1, P<0.1–0.05, P<0.05–0.01, P<0.01–0.001, P<0.001, respectively.

  • *P<0.0001; BP differences posttreatment versus pretreatment arm, acute versus chronic RCTs, and between treatment arm comparisons.

  • †P<0.001.

  • ‡P<0.01.

  • §P<0.05.

  • ¶0.05≤P<0.10.

  • **P>0.10.

  • BP, blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; ES, effect size; RCT, randomised controlled trials; SBP, systolic blood pressure.;