Acupressure's Impact on Pain and Physiological Parameters in Infants Undergoing Cardiac Catheterization

Summary

Acupressure, one of the traditional Chinese medicine practices dating back approximately 5,000 years, is a mind-body technique that can be independently applied by nurses. This practice involves applying pressure to specific points on the body to reduce pain. The pressure stimulates the release of substances such as endorphins, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and dopamine, resulting in muscle relaxation, regulated blood circulation, and blocked pain signals at nerve endings, effectively reducing the sensation of pain. The aim of acupressure is to alleviate patient discomfort and improve quality of life by reducing the need for analgesics. Acupressure, which falls under the category of therapeutic massage, can be applied using the fingers and palms. According to its core philosophy, illness arises when the balance of energy flowing through body channels, called "meridians," is disrupted. Because acupressure does not involve needles, it is a safe, effective, and economical technique that is easy to learn and apply. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies acupressure as a supportive treatment within its list of "treatable conditions." The technique involves applying pressure to the same point for 2-5 minutes. Stimulating specific points promotes the release of cytokines, such as endorphins, which play a role in pain reduction by blocking certain receptors on sensory nerve endings and thus preventing pain perception. Additionally, stimulating acupoints helps establish sympathetic and parasympathetic balance, supporting healthy homeostasis. Studies in the literature have investigated acupressure's positive effects on children's preoperative anxiety, postoperative pain severity, chemotherapy side effects, fatigue, sleep quality, asthma symptoms, and physical stress. In a study examining the impact of acupressure on procedural pain in infants prior to parenteral vaccinations, infants who received acupressure experienced lower pain levels and shorter crying durations. Similarly, a study investigating the effect of acupressure on acute pain during venous catheter insertion in children found that pain severity was lower among children who received acupressure. A systematic review examining the effects of acupressure on child health determined that acupressure is effective in alleviating procedural pain in children. The review emphasized that nurses should incorporate acupressure, a non-pharmacological method, into care practices for effective pain management in children. Despite evidence in the literature supporting acupressure's positive effects on pediatric health, no study has specifically examined its impact on pain and physiological parameters in children undergoing cardiac catheterization. Therefore, this thesis aims to investigate the effects of acupressure, applied before and after cardiac catheterization, on pain levels and physiological parameters in infants.

Conditions

• Cardiac Catheterization

Interventions

OTHER

Acupressure

The literature found that acupressure positively affects child health, but no study was found to determine the effect of acupressure on pain and physiological parameters in children undergoing cardiac catheterization. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the effect of acupressure applied before and after cardiac catheterization on infants' pain levels and physiological parameters.

OTHER

Placebo acupressure

In health sciences, placebo refers to an inactive intervention used to relax the patient and assess treatment efficacy. It may involve inert substances (e.g., sugar tablets, saline) or non-therapeutic interventions (e.g., artificial electrical stimulation or conversations). Expectancy theory often explains The placebo effect, which suggests that treatment expectations can induce physiological changes. Factors like age, cognitive development, and previous pain experiences influence children's responses to placebo. Parental belief in an intervention's efficacy can reduce a child's pain expectations and positively influence their perception of pain. Although the sample included young children, our study incorporated the placebo group to account for this effect, especially since the parents evaluated pain scores.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Baskent University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

1 Month

Max Age

12 Months

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-12-30

Primary Completion

2024-12-31

Completion

2025-12-30