NCT01733771

The Effect of Complementary Medicine (CAM) Treatments on Common Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients

Patient Reported Outcomes Following Complementary Medicine Treatments in Hospitalized Patients

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 300 (actual)
• Sponsor: Bnai Zion Medical Center · Other Government
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This is a randomized, single blinded, interventional trial conducted in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, comparing the following three groups: Controls receiving standard-of-care (SoC) only (Group 1); intervention group receiving reflexology and SoC (Group 2); and a group receiving sham reflexology and SoC (Group 3). In all groups, level of preoperative anxiety was evaluated at entry and exit from the Holding Room Area (HRA). The evaluation was carried out using the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A) questionnaire.

Conditions

• Pain
• Nausea
• Anxiety

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Reflexology	Reflexology intervention involved a 15-minute treatment in the induction room, provided by three reflexologists from the hospital staff. The reflexology protocol was developed through a Delphi method.
OTHER	Sham reflexology	Sham reflexology intervention were given by two complementary medicine practitioners with knowledge in touch therapy (shiatsu) and included 15 minutes of gentle, nonspecific foot massage. Similarly to the true reflexology protocol, the protocol for this treatment was also determined in a consensus-reaching process among a group of four experienced reflexologists.

Timeline

• Start date: 2010-04-01
• Primary completion: 2020-12-30
• Completion: 2020-12-30
• First posted: 2012-11-27
• Last updated: 2025-05-20
• Results posted: 2025-05-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Israel