NCT07253831Completed
Hand Reflexology for Fatigue and Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients
The Effect of Hand Reflexology Massage on Fatigue and Anxiety Levels Among Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 13 May 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
This randomized controlled trial evaluates the efficacy of hand reflexology massage (HRM) in reducing fatigue and anxiety among adult patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Participants are randomly assigned to either an HRM intervention group or a usual care control group. The HRM group receives eight 21-minute sessions of hand reflexology during routine hemodialysis visits over four weeks, while the control group continues with standard care only. Outcomes are measured using validated scales at baseline, mid-intervention (after 4 sessions), and post-intervention (after 8 sessions). This non-pharmacological, nurse-deliverable intervention is designed to be culturally appropriate, feasible in resource-limited settings, and respectful of patient comfort during dialysis.
- Status (registry)
- Completed
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 70 (actual)
- First submitted
- 19 Nov 2025
- Start date
- 1 Nov 2025
- Primary completion date
- 5 Feb 2026
- Lead sponsor
- Kufa University
- Diseases
- Chronic kidney disease
- NCT number
- NCT07253831
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Participants enrolled: 70
- From 1 Nov 2025 to the primary completion date, 5 Feb 2026
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Use of sedatives, anxiolytics, or sleeping pills within 48-72 hours prior to data collection.
- Current use of complementary or alternative therapies aimed at managing anxiety or fatigue.
Other illness
- Presence of ulcers, wounds, burns, infections, or skin diseases on the hands or forearms.
- Deformities, fractures, or orthopedic disorders affecting the hands or upper limbs.
- Diagnosis of major psychiatric disorders (e.g., psychosis, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder).
- Active systemic diseases that contribute to fatigue or anxiety (e.g., cancer, heart failure, lupus).
- History of drug or alcohol abuse.
- Presence of implanted cardiac devices (e.g., pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillator).
Other
- Peripheral neuropathy, vascular problems, or Raynaud's phenomenon in the hands.
- Hemodynamic instability or unstable vital signs during hemodialysis sessions.
- Missing more than two scheduled intervention sessions during the study period.
Who the study is looking for
- Adults aged 18 years and older.
- Diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and undergoing maintenance hemodialysis for at least three months.
- Receiving hemodialysis treatment two or three times per week.
- Fully alert, conscious, and able to communicate clearly.
- Able to understand the Arabic language.
- Willing to participate in the study and provide informed consent.
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabah Kareem Alshibli Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Al Qādisīyah | Iraq | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.