Effect of Family Member's Massage Therapy on the Vital Signs and Glasgow Coma Scale Score
Condition: Trauma
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The effect of family member's massage therapy on the Vital signs and Glasgow Coma Scale Score
      of hospitalized patients in Intensive Care Unit: A Triple-blinded Randomized controlled
      Clinical Trial Study
    

Detailed description: 
      Aims and objectives: To determine the effects of family member's massage therapy on the Vital
      signs and Glasgow Coma Scale Score of hospitalized patients in Intensive Care Unit.

      Background: Unalleviated complications related to hospitalization including stress, anxiety,
      pain, and fear can easily impacts on different systems including brain and stimulates
      sympatric nerves and as a result causes instabilities in vital signs and deterioration in
      consciousness level. Alternative and complementary therapies including therapeutic massage
      have been used to decrease the mentioned side effects.

      Design: A Triple-blinded Randomized controlled Clinical Trial Methods: All prolonged
      hospitalized patients and their families (45 patients and 45 family members in each group)
      were selected consecutively among the patients admitted in ICU. Data collection tool
      consisted of two parts. The first part included demographic data (age, mar¬ital status and
      Body Max Index) and the second part included a checklist to record the patient's vital signs
      (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pulse rate). All
      measurements were conducted in same time in both groups as follow: before the intervention
      (the whole massage therapy), one hour, two hours, three hours, and four hours. Collected data
      was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics utilizing SPSS 11.5 software.

      Keywords: Family member's massage therapy; Vital signs; Glasgow coma scale; Intensive care
      unit; Randomized controlled Clinical Trial; Iran.
    

Intervention name(s): Massage therapy
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): One session of massage therapy (for 60 minutes) was done by the patient's family member. Almond oil was used for effleurage and massage facilitation. Back, shoulder deltoid muscles, front and posterior parts of legs, arms, forearms, front and back parts of thighs, palms and fingers, metatarsus, front and back of feet and toes, belly and chest, auxiliaries and neck muscles of the patients were massaged. Massage techniques used included static massage, surface tension techniques, stretching massage, superficial lymph unload, transverse friction techniques, and myofacial releasing techniques. All the massage sessions were conducted in the morning shifts. For the control group, there was no intervention and patients just received the routine care of the unit.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Care Provider)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: Family member's massage therapy; Vital signs; Glasgow coma scale; Intensive care unit; Randomized controlled Clinical Trial; Iran