• Wei-Ling Chen, Gin-Jen Liu, Shu-Hui Yeh, Ming-Chu Chiang, Mao-Young Fu, and Yuan-Kai Hsieh.
• Graduate Institute of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
• J Altern Complement Med. 2013 May 1; 19 (5): 464-70.

BackgroundPatients suffering from congestive heart failure (CHF) frequently feel physical suffering and anxiety.ObjectivesThe researchers investigated whether back massage could reduce anxiety, discomfort, and physical suffering in patients with CHF. The effects of gender and severity-dependent response of back massage on anxiety and discomfort in patients were also analyzed.DesignThe study used a quasi-experimental design with one group pretest and posttest.ParticipantsSixty-four participants were recruited in southern Taiwan.Outcome MeasuresThe modified State Anxiety Inventory, the discomfort Visual Analogue Scale, electronic blood pressure (BP) gauges, stethoscopes and the pulse oximetry were used in this study.ResultsThe participants' systolic BP (F (3, 189)=18.91, p<0.01), diastolic BP (F (3, 189)=13.40, p<0.01), heart rate (F (3, 189)=26.28, p<0.01), and respiratory rates (F (3, 189)=5.77, p<0.01) were significantly decreased after back massage. Oxygen saturation levels showed significant increases (F (3, 189)=42.82, p<0.01). Male participants revealed a more significant reduction in anxiety than the female participants (F (1, 50)=7.27, p=0.01). Those with more severe heart failure and greater levels of anxiety (F (2, 61)=4.31, p=0.02) and systolic BP (F (2, 61)=3.86, p=0.03) demonstrated significantly greater responses to back massage.ConclusionsBack massage significantly reduced anxiety in the study population. Systolic BP decreased to a greater degree in the male participants, particularly in those with severe heart failure and greater levels of anxiety and higher systolic BP. This study was conducted without a control group. Randomized clinical trials are needed to validate the effectiveness of back massage on patients with CHF.

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