ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There are limited reports available on preferred chest physiotherapy methods in patients with coronary artery graft (CABG) surgery. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of active cyclic breathing technique (ACBT) and routine chest physiotherapy on pain and respiratory parameters in patients undergoing CABG surgery. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was carried out from July to November 2018. Seventy patients were selected randomly after CABG according to inclusion criteria and then assigned in two groups (35 in ACBT and 35 in routine physiotherapy) by random minimization method. The arterial blood gas levels, pain, heart rate, and respiratory rate were measured for both groups before and after the intervention on two consecutive days after surgery. Data were analyzed by SPSS software V.22, at a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The two groups were similar in terms of demographic variables. In within group comparison in the physiotherapy group, the level of PaO2, HR, RR, and pain increased significantly on both days (P = 0.001), SaO2 on the first day (P = 0.005) and second day (P = 0.001), and PaCO2 on the first day (P = 0.02). In ACBT group, the level of SaO2, HR, RR, and pain increased significantly on both days (P = 0.001), HCO3 on the first day (P = 0.021), and PaO2 on the second day (P = 0.001) post intervention. In between group comparison, on the first day, the level of PH (P = 0.034), and on the second day HCO3 (P = 0.032) decreased, while RR (P = 0.011) increased significantly in the physiotherapy group, at post-intervention phase. CONCLUSIONS: ACBT and routine physiotherapy had similar effects on arterial oxygenation, HR, and pain perception following CABG surgery. The physiotherapy on the second day increased the RR to an abnormal range.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Considering the contradictory results on the role of complementary therapies in correcting post-operative side effects, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupressure on pain severity in patients undergoing coronary artery graft admitted to a coronary care unit. METHODS: In this double-blind, randomized, clinical trial, 70 patients were selected randomly after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery based on inclusion criteria and then assigned to two groups (35 in acupressure and 35 in control) randomly by the minimization method. The intervention group received acupressure at the LI4 point for 20 minutes in 10-second pressure and 2-second resting periods. In the control group, only touching was applied without any pressure in the same pattern as the intervention group. Pain severity was measured before, immediately, and 20 minutes after applying pressure and touch in both groups using the visual analogue scale. RESULTS: The results of repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a decrease in the pain score in the intervention group (group effect) during multiple measurements (time effect) and a reduction in the mean pain score in the various measurements taking into account the groups (the interaction between time and group; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Acupressure can be used as a complementary and alternative therapeutic approach to relieve post-operative pain in CABG patients.
