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The Effect of Foot Reflexology Massage on Delirium and Physiological Indicators in Children Admitted to Pediatric
Zahra Mazhari1, Ali Manafi Anari2, Farshad Heidari-Beni3
1Pediatric and Intensive Neonatal Nursing Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, iums.ac.ir.
Insights
Foot reflexology massage in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) significantly reduced delirium and lowered heart rate and blood pressure in children. Further research is needed to explore its impact on arterial blood oxygen saturation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Intensive Care
- Clinical Interventions
- Neurology
Background:
- Delirium is a common and challenging condition in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
- Changes in vital signs can indicate disease progression in children.
- Nonpharmacological interventions, such as massage, may help manage delirium and improve physiological indicators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of foot reflexology massage on delirium in children admitted to the PICU.
- To assess the impact of foot reflexology massage on physiological indicators in pediatric patients.
Main Methods:
- A randomized clinical trial was conducted in a PICU.
- 74 participants were randomly assigned to an intervention (foot reflexology massage) or control group.
- Pediatric delirium and physiological indicators were assessed using the Cornell tool and other measures before and after the intervention.
Main Results:
- Foot reflexology massage significantly reduced the frequency of delirium in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.004).
- Immediately post-intervention, heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, and systolic blood pressure were significantly lower in the foot reflexology group (p < 0.001, p = 0.026, p = 0.002).
- No significant difference in arterial blood oxygen saturation was observed between the groups (p = 0.345).
Conclusions:
- Foot reflexology massage is effective in reducing delirium in PICU patients.
- This intervention helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure in pediatric patients.
- The effect of foot reflexology on arterial blood oxygen saturation warrants additional investigation.
Introduction:
Children in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are commonly affected by delirium, which poses considerable challenges in clinical management. Changes in vital signs can serve as early warning indicators of disease progression in children. Nonpharmacological interventions in the handling of delirium and improvement of physiological indicators include various types of massage. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of foot reflexology massage on delirium and physiological indicators in children admitted to the PICU.
Methods:
This randomized clinical trial was directed in the PICU of Ali Asghar Hospital, affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. The study randomly assigned a total of 74 participants to either an intervention group or a control group. Foot reflexology massage was administered to the intervention group. Information was captured before and after the intervention using tools assessing demographic information/data, physiological indicators, and pediatric delirium (Cornell tool).
Results:
The analysis revealed that on the second day, the frequency of delirium in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group after the intervention (p = 0.004). Also, immediately after the intervention, heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, and systolic blood pressure in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.001, p = 0.026, and p = 0.002, respectively). Also, the results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in arterial blood oxygen saturation between the two groups after the intervention (p = 0.345).
Conclusion:
The evidences of our study show that foot reflexology can decrease delirium and regulate heart rate and blood pressure, but its effect on arterial blood oxygen saturation requires further investigation.
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