Trial reportPediatrics2012
A randomized placebo-controlled trial of massage therapy on the immune system of preterm infants.
Trial report in Pediatrics, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 30 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The Effect of Aromatherapy on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and Salivary Cortisol Levels
The Effects of Osteopathic Manipulations on the Expression Patterns of Immune Cell Biomarkers
Who cites it
30 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 116 citations in OpenAlex.
- A systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis of the physical and mental health benefits of touch interventions.Nature human behaviour · 2024Pooled it
- Topical emollient for preventing infection in preterm infants.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Topical emollient for preventing infection in preterm infants.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- First Brazilian recommendation on physiotherapy with sensory motor stimulation in newborns and infants in the intensive care unit.Revista Brasileira de terapia intensivaPooled it
- PREMM: preterm early massage by the mother: protocol of a randomised controlled trial of massage therapy in very preterm infants.BMC pediatrics · 2016Trial
- The effects of massage therapy to induce sleep in infants born preterm.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association · 2014Trial
- Effects of hydrotherapy and tactile-kinesthetic stimulation on weight gain of preterm infants admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.Jornal de pediatriaTrial
- Review
- NICU sensory experiences associated with positive outcomes: an integrative review of evidence from 2015-2020.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2023Review
- Social Touch: Its Mirror-like Responses and Implications in Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases.NeuroSci · 2023Review
- Effects of massage therapy on preterm infants and their mothers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2023Review
- A qualitative study on mothers' experiences attending an online infant massage class: "It is funny! I feel close to my baby!"BMC nursing · 2022Article
- The effect of sensory stimulation on apnea of prematurity.Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences · 2022Article
- Review
- Feasibility of Early Intervention Through Home-Based and Parent-Delivered Infant Massage in Infants at High Risk for Cerebral Palsy.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2021Article
- The Role of Affectionate Caregiver Touch in Early Neurodevelopment and Parent-Infant Interactional Synchrony.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2020Review
- Pediatric Massage Therapy Research: A Narrative Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2019Review
- A placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of massaging on infantile colic using a random-effects joint model.Pediatric health, medicine and therapeutics · 2018Article
- Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Massage in Preterm Infants.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2017Review
- Enhancing sensory experiences for very preterm infants in the NICU: an integrative review.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2017Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of massage therapy (MT) on the immune system of preterm infants. The primary hypothesis was that MT compared with sham therapy (control) will enhance the immune system of stable premature infants by increasing the proportion of their natural killer (NK) cell numbers.
methodsA randomized placebo-controlled trial of MT versus sham therapy (control) was conducted among stable premature infants in the NICU. Study intervention was provided 5 days per week until hospital discharge for a maximum of 4 weeks. Immunologic evaluations (absolute NK cells, T and B cells, T cell subsets, and NK cytotoxicity), weight, number of infections, and length of hospital stay were also evaluated.
resultsThe study enrolled 120 infants (58 massage; 62 control). At the end of the study, absolute NK cells were not different between the 2 groups; however, NK cytotoxicity was higher in the massage group, particularly among those who received ≥5 consecutive days of study intervention compared with control (13.79 vs 10 lytic units, respectively; P = .04). Infants in the massage group were heavier at end of study and had greater daily weight gain compared with those in the control group; other immunologic parameters, number of infections, and length of stay were not different between the 2 groups.
conclusionsIn this study, MT administered to stable preterm infants was associated with higher NK cytotoxicity and more daily weight gain. MT may improve the overall outcome of these infants. Larger studies are needed.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.