Effect of Massage Therapy on Physiologic Response in Premature Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome Treated with Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (NCPAP)

Nowadays particular emphasis has been placed on the developmental aspects in the management of preterm infants. Massage therapy is one of the best-known methods is not usually applies on premature infants. This study was aimed to determine the effects of Massage on physiological response in premature infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) treated with Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (NCPAP). This was a randomized controlled trial on 90 newborns who were admitted to Alzahra Teaching Hospital (Tabriz University of Medical Sciences). The infants were divided into two massage therapy groups (massage with sunflower and coconut oils) and control. Data were collected using a questioner and in therapy groups a 15-minute daily massage was performed for 3 days. Mixed model Analyze was used for data analysis. Mean respiratory rate at the end of three days of massage with sunflower oil، Coconut oil، and control group was 50، 52، 56، rate per minute respectively، heart rate was 137، 143، 137، average of mean arterial pressure blood pressure was 53، 51، 50، and temperature was 36، 36 and 36 all in the offer mentioned groups correspondingly and there was no significant difference between the measured parameters between three groups significant differences between the three groups. Massage for premature infants treated with NCPAP could be safe and can be recommended for their nursing care