Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37964187›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2023

Physical therapy intervention for breast symptoms in lactating women: a randomized controlled trial.

Kuan-Yin Lin, Wei Shao, Yi-Ju Tsai, Jeng-Feng Yang, Meng-Hsing Wu

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04569136 (Physical Therapy Intervention for Puerperal Mastitis in Breastfeeding Women), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 24% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

NCT04569136 nacompletednot on this map

Physical Therapy Intervention for Puerperal Mastitis in Breastfeeding Women

TypeinterventionalSponsorNational Cheng Kung UniversityRan2020 to 2023Enrolled37ConditionsMastitisArmsEducation, Therapeutic ultrasound, Sham ultrasound, Breast massage, Usual obstetric care
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Multimodality evaluation and ultrasound-guided aspiration of a biopsy-proven inspissated clogged milk duct: a case report.Translational breast cancer research : a journal focusing on translational research in breast cancer · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Kuan-Yin LinDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. kuanyinl27173@ntu.edu.tw.
Wei ShaoDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Yi-Ju TsaiDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Jeng-Feng YangDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Meng-Hsing WuDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
National Cheng Kung University · TWNational Cheng Kung University Hospital · TW

Funding

Ministry of Education Higher Education Sprout ProjectNational Science and Technology Council NSTC 109-2314-B-006-041-MY3
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTherapeutic ultrasound, education, and massage are the most common physical therapy interventions provided to mothers with breast symptoms. However, there is insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of the combination of these interventions. This study aimed to explore the effects of the combination of therapeutic ultrasound, education, and massage on breast symptoms in lactating women.

methodsThis study was a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Postpartum lactating women aged from 21 to 45 with breast symptoms were recruited and randomly allocated to one of three groups (ultrasound group, sham group, and usual care group). The severity of breast symptoms (pain, redness, lump, general malaise), breast engorgement, breast hardness, body temperature, breast temperature, and milk volume were assessed at baseline (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2), and at 3 months following baseline (T3).

resultsA total of 37 participants were included in the study (ultrasound group n = 12; sham group n = 12; usual care n = 13). The severity of breast symptoms (i.e., pain, lump, and general malaise) as well as breast engorgement, were significantly improved in the ultrasound group at T2 when compared to T1, and these improvements were sustained at T3. The severity of breast engorgement was significantly lower in the ultrasound group when compared to the usual care group at T2. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the ultrasound and sham groups for all outcomes at any assessment time points.

conclusionsPhysical therapy interventions may be beneficial in relieving breast symptoms in lactating women. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the findings of this study.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04569136); Date of registration: 29/09/2020.

Indexed as

Breast DiseasesLactation DisordersBreast FeedingFemaleHumansLactationPainRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSingle-Blind MethodBreastfeedingMassagePhysical therapyRandomized controlled trialUltrasound therapy

Identifiers

PMID37964187
PMCPMC10647054
OpenAlexW4388657519

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.