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Transcutaneous bilirubin levels of newborn infants performed abdominal massage: A randomized controlled trial
Author(s) -
Gözen Duygu,
Yılmaz Özge Eda,
Dur Şadiye,
Çağlayan Sabiha,
Taştekin Ayhan
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal for specialists in pediatric nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1744-6155
pISSN - 1539-0136
DOI - 10.1111/jspn.12237
Subject(s) - medicine , massage , bilirubin , randomized controlled trial , anesthesia , physical therapy , pathology , alternative medicine
Purpose This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of abdominal massage on bilirubin levels of newborn infants. Design and Methods The sample group consisted of 90 newborn infants (experimental group: 44; control group: 46) who were followed in a university hospital after birth between March and August 2017. The data were collected using an Information Form, Observation Form, and Transcutaneous Bilirubin Level Meter. Bilirubin levels were measured 1 hr after the first breastfeeding in both groups. The abdominal massage was performed for 5 min in each session, was continued in three sessions per day; was completed in totally six sessions for 2 days in infants in the experimental group. The second bilirubin measurements were repeated at the 48th hour after the birth and bilirubin levels were compared in two groups. The Student t test was used to evaluate the normally distributed data and the Mann–Whitney U test was used to carry out statistics in nonnormal distribution of quantitative data. Results The bilirubin levels of the groups (experimental group: 1.06 ± 0.92; control group: 1.01 ± 0.98) were statistically similar before abdominal massage, t (88) = 0.25, p = 0.803. The difference of the bilirubin levels was compared in the groups before and after abdominal massage. The increase of bilirubin levels in the experimental group (1.96 ± 1.69 mg/dl) was statistically significantly lower compared with the control group (2.80 ± 2.30 mg/dl), t (88) = −1.974, p = 0.048. Practice Implications Abdominal massage is effective to reduce bilirubin levels of newborn infants.