The Effect of Tactile-Kinesthetic Massage on Transcutaneous Bilirubin in Term Neonates With Hyperbilirubinemia Care With Phototherapy

Kernicterus is one of the side effects of hyperbilirubinemia. Massage lead to further reduction of bilirubin reabsorption in the blood, so decreases jaundice. This study was conducted to examine the effect of tactile-kinesthetic massage on transcutaneous bilirubin in term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia.
This clinical trial study was implemented on neonates with physiological jaundice hospitalization at the neonatal ward at one of the educational hospitals of Zahedan during year 2014. Eighty neonates were selected with convenience and sequential sampling and divided randomly to two groups, intervention group (40) and control group (40). In the intervention group, tactile-kinesthetic massage was implemented for two days and three times every day and every session lasted 10 minutes and the mean bilirubin was determined pre-intervention, and 24 hours and 48 hours after intervention. Data were gathered through demographic questionnaire and Transcutaneous-Bilirubinometry. Data were analyzed through SPSS 16 and using the t-test and repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).
The mean bilirubin in the intervention group, and pre intervention (9.71 ± 2.45), 24 hours (6.48 ± 2.4) and 48 hours after intervention (8.17 ± 2.43) were significantly different statically (P 0.05). Also, the number of meconium defecation was not significantly different statistically at these three time points between the two groups (P > 0.05).
Massage can cause an impact in bilirubin reduction in neonates. Therefore, nurses can use this method as a non-pharmaceutical method along with phototherapy for reduction of bilirubin.