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The effects of enteral feeding improvement massage on premature infants: A randomised controlled trial
Hee-Young Kim1, Kyung-Sook Bang2
1Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Enteral feeding improvement massage significantly accelerates full enteral feeding and promotes growth in premature infants. This evidence-based nursing intervention is particularly beneficial for feeding-intolerant infants, improving their outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric gastroenterology
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Premature infants often experience feeding difficulties due to immature gastrointestinal systems.
- Limited research exists on the efficacy of tactile stimulation massage for improving enteral feeding in preterm neonates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of an enteral feeding improvement massage on feeding, growth, and superior mesenteric artery blood flow in premature infants.
- To assess the effectiveness of this massage as a nursing intervention.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 55 premature infants (born <34 weeks gestational age).
- The experimental group received daily enteral feeding improvement massage for 14 days; the control group received a sham exercise.
- Data were analyzed using t-tests, chi-square tests (Fisher's exact), and ANCOVA.
Main Results:
- The massage group achieved full enteral feeding significantly faster.
- Superior mesenteric artery peak velocity (Vmax) and minimum velocity (Vmin) were higher, and the resistance index (RI) was lower in the massage group.
- Infants receiving the massage showed increased weight gain and larger head circumference after 14 days.
Conclusions:
- Enteral feeding improvement massage is an effective intervention for enhancing enteral feeding, improving mesenteric blood flow, and promoting growth in premature infants.
- This massage can serve as a therapeutic, independent, and evidence-based nursing intervention, especially for feeding-intolerant neonates.
- Neonatal nurses can utilize this massage technique in neonatal intensive care units for feeding-intolerant infants.
Aims And Objectives:
To prove the effects of an enteral feeding improvement massage for premature infants with regard to their feeding, growing and superior mesentery artery blood flow aspect by a randomised controlled trial.
Background:
Premature infants have feeding-related problems related to eating and absorbing nutrition due to their immature gastrointestinal function. Studies regarding the effectiveness of premature infants' enteral feeding improvement by tactile stimulation massage are rare.
Design:
The study group was composed of 55 patients. Of the 55 patients, 26 were randomised into an experimental group and 29 were randomised into a control group.
Methods:
They were all born <34 weeks of gestational age between 1 July 2011 and 30 March 2012. Premature infants in the experimental group received enteral feeding improvement massage twice a day for 14 days, and infants in the control group received a sham exercise. The collected data were analysed by spss 19.0, through t test, chi-square test (Fisher's exact) and ANCOVA.
Results:
(i) The experimental group had reached the day of full enteral feeding significantly faster. (ii) The experimental group had a higher superior mesentery artery peak velocity (Vmax ) and lower RI (resistant index). (iii) The experimental group of the feeding-intolerant subgroup had a higher superior mesentery artery Vmax and Vmin . (iv) The experimental group had a heavier weight and larger head circumference after 14 days.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that enteral feeding improvement massage can be helpful for achieving earlier full enteral feeding, more increased superior mesentery artery, and faster growing. In particular, it can be a therapeutic, independent and evidence-based nursing intervention for feeding-intolerant premature infants.
Relevance To Clinical Practice:
Neonatal nurses in neonatal intensive care unit can apply enteral feeding improvement massage massage for feeding-intolerant infants.
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