The Applying of Acupressure and Abdominal Massage to Improving Constipation in Stroke Patients.

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
Experimental research design with two-group repeated-measure design. Experimental group was pressing the Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36) , Tianshu(ST 25) and abdominal massage for eight minutes total, press once in the morning and afternoon, seven days total and two days for follow the trail. Control group was pressing sham ponits. Research tools to self semi-structured questionnaire collected data on patient's diet, activity, medication, defecation patterns, subjective defecation feelingauscultation bowel sounds like.

Detailed Description
-----------------
Experimental research design with two-group repeated-measure design. The investigators estimate there are recruit fifty patients from related rehabilitation hospital of a medical center in Taichung, central Taiwan, using randomization put patients in experimental group and control group. Experimental group Pressing the Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36) , Tianshu(ST 25) and abdominal massage for eight minutes total, press once in the morning and afternoon, seven days total and two days for follow the trail. Control group was pressing sham ponits. Research tools to self semi-structured questionnaire collected data on patient's diet, activity, medication, defecation patterns, subjective defecation feelings, and auscultation bowel sounds like. The investigators expected the results of this study can provide clinical nursing care for stroke patients of reference, to improve quality of care, and increase acupressure to improve the empirical data of stroke in patients with constipation.

Official Title
-----------------
The Effectiveness of the Applying of Acupressure and Abdominal Massage to Improving Constipation in Stroke Patients.

Conditions
-----------------
Acupressure, Abdominal Massage, Constipation, Stroke Patients

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Other: Acupressure and Abdominal Massage
* Other: Pressing the Sham points


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: patients who were diagnosed as stroke, and in stability phase. patients who had constipation symptoms. patients whose platelets counts more than 150,000 / μ. Exclusion Criteria: Consciousness is not clear. The physician diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome.

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 20 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
No

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Acupressure and Abdominal Massage<br>Pressing the Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36) , Tianshu(ST 25) and abdominal massage for eight minutes total, press once in the morning and afternoon, seven days total and two days for follow the trail. | Other: Acupressure and Abdominal Massage<br>* Pressing the Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36) , Tianshu(ST 25) and abdominal massage for eight minutes<br>|
| Sham Comparator: Pressing the sham points<br>Pressing the sham points for eight minutes total, press once in the morning and afternoon, seven days total and two days for follow the trail. | Other: Pressing the Sham points<br>* Pressing the sham points for eight minutes<br>* Other names: the Sham points;|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| defecation patterns | measure defecation frequency and nature | 9 days | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| auscultation bowel sounds | auscultation bowel sounds before and after intervention | 9 days | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
acupressure, abdominal massage, constipation, stroke patients, Traditional Chinese medicine