Comparing the effect of whole body massage by a specialist nurse and patients’ relatives on blood cortisol level in coronary patients

Background: cardiovascular diseases such as acute coronary syndrome and myocardialinfarction are often accompanied by severe anxiety over the likelihood of death. cortisol hasbeen known as a stress hormone. however, there are controversies about the effect of massagetherapy on blood cortisol level. furthermore, no study is available on the difference betweenmassage applied by a nurse specialist or by patients’ relatives on blood cortisol level. this studywas aimed to compare the effect of massage applied by a nurse specialist and patients’ relativeson blood cortisol level among the patients admitted in coronary care unit (ccu).methods: in a randomized controlled trial, ninety patients hospitalized at ccu were randomlyplaced in three groups: massage by a nurse; massage by patients’ relatives and control group.the two massage groups received a session of whole body massage. the control group receivedthe routine care. data were analyzed using analysis of variance, chi-square and fischer exacttests, kruskal–wallis and wilcoxon signed ranks tests.results: the mean age of participants was 58.43 ± 14.23 years. none of the participants hadthe history of massage therapy. in the group massaged by a nurse, the median blood cortisollevel was 281.90 nanomoles, which were decreased to 197.00 after the intervention (p < 0.007).the median blood cortisol level in the group massaged by the patients’ relatives and the controlgroup did not affect significantly.conclusion: massage therapy decreased the blood cortisol level in the group that receivedmassage by a specialist nurse. it can be recommended that massage therapy be used in patientsadmitted in ccu.