The Effect of Massage on the Arterial Blood Oxygen Saturation in Neonates with Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Background and

The use of complementary and alternative therapy is on the rise and massage therapy is one of these alternative procedures. The purpose of the present research was to determine the effect of field massage on the arterial blood oxygen saturation in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. Methods and Materials: This clinical trial was conducted on 25 infants hospitalized with respiratory distress syndrome in the neonatal intensive care unit in Rasht Al-Zahra Hospital, Iran. An information record form (consisting of two sections: demographic information and a table for recording oxygen saturations) was used for data gathering, and pulse oxymeter was used for measuring Oxygen saturation. The information was collected in 3 consecutive days; the intervention took three 15-minute periods. Arterial blood oxygen saturation was recorded 5 minutes before massage, then neonates underwent a 15-minute massage; then within 5 and 15 minutes from the massage, the arterial blood oxygen saturation was measured and recorded again. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS 16 using ANOVA.

Mean arterial blood oxygen saturation at baseline (5 minutes before massage) was 93.44±0.46, five minutes after massage 94.22±0.41 and 15 minutes after the massage, it was 91.67±0.24. Mean arterial blood oxygen saturation during the three days of intervention was significantly different before and after the field technique massage (P<0.01), so that the neonates’ arterial blood oxygen saturation increased after the massage therapy. Also, mean respiratory rate 5 minutes before the massage was 43.7±2.4 and 15 minutes after the massage, it was 42.5±6.5; mean heart rate 5 minutes before the massage was 135.7±9.6 and 15 minutes after the massage, it was 132± 4.9; the average temperature 5 minutes before the massage was 36.7±0.6 and 15 minutes after the massage, it was 37±0.3; the average of these physiologic parameters before and after the intervention were not significantly different.

The results of this study Indicate that the massage therapy significantly increases the arterial oxygen saturation in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome; and since after the massage, physiologic variable changes (breathing, heart rate and temperature) are within an acceptable range, it can be concluded that this type of massage is suitable for neonates.