Comparison of the Effects of Abdominal Massage with and Without Peppermint Extract on Gastric Residual Volume and Abdominal Distension in Patients Receiving Enteral Feeding in the Intensive Care Unit: A Clinical Trial
| Author | Marzie Safari | en |
| Author | Hossein Shahdadi | en |
| Author | Mozhgan Rahnama | en |
| Author | Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad | en |
| Author | Mahdieh Poodineh Moghadam | en |
| Orcid | Marzie Safari [0009-0001-7713-0466] | en |
| Orcid | Hossein Shahdadi [0000-0001-7594-6659] | en |
| Orcid | Mozhgan Rahnama [0000-0002-4248-2314] | en |
| Orcid | Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad [0000-0002-7929-5539] | en |
| Orcid | Mahdieh Poodineh Moghadam [0000-0002-6245-7749] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-03-31 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Enteral feeding intolerance is common among intensive care unit (ICU) patients and often manifests as elevated gastric residual volume (GRV) and abdominal distension. Nonpharmacological interventions may offer safe alternatives to drug therapy. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of abdominal massage with and without peppermint extract on GRV and abdominal distension in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who were receiving enteral nutrition. Methods: A single-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted in which participants were blinded to group allocation. A total of 50 patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned by lottery using numbered, sealed envelopes to receive abdominal massage with peppermint extract (n = 25) or without peppermint extract (n = 25). The intervention lasted 3 consecutive days and consisted of 20-minute abdominal massage sessions twice daily. According to the intensive care unit (ICU) protocol, patients received gavage feeding every 3 hours, resulting in 2 feeding sessions during the 6-hour interval between massage sessions. Gastric residual volume was assessed twice daily: immediately before the first massage session and 1 hour after the second session. Abdominal circumference was also measured twice daily, before the first massage session and after the second session. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 23. Results: The independent t-test revealed a statistically significant between-group difference in mean GRV before and after massage during the 3-day intervention period (P < 0.001). Analysis of covariance, adjusted for baseline values, also confirmed a significant between-group difference (P < 0.001). However, no statistically significant between-group difference was found in mean abdominal circumference (P ≥ 0.05). Conclusions: Abdominal massage with peppermint extract was more effective than massage alone in reducing GRV among enterally fed neurological intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Given the low cost and ease of use of peppermint extract, this intervention may be considered a useful adjunctive nursing measure to reduce GRV. Although no significant reduction in abdominal distension was observed, this finding does not necessarily indicate a lack of efficacy; rather, it suggests the need for a larger sample size with adequate power to detect this outcome. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/jcce-171446 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/jcce/articles/171446 | en |
| Keyword | Abdominal Massage | en |
| Keyword | Peppermint Extract | en |
| Keyword | Gastric Residual Volume | en |
| Keyword | Abdominal Distension | en |
| Keyword | Enteral Feeding | en |
| Keyword | Patients | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | Comparison of the Effects of Abdominal Massage with and Without Peppermint Extract on Gastric Residual Volume and Abdominal Distension in Patients Receiving Enteral Feeding in the Intensive Care Unit: A Clinical Trial | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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