The Effect of Therapeutic Touch on Agitation, Pain, and Cortisol Levels in Intensive Care Patients

Launched by FIRAT UNIVERSITY · Jul 2, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying whether a therapy called therapeutic touch can help reduce pain, agitation (restlessness or nervousness), and stress hormone levels in patients staying in the intensive care unit (ICU). Therapeutic touch involves gently touching certain points on the body and is used alongside regular medical treatments to promote healing and comfort. Since patients in the ICU often experience pain and stress that can slow recovery, this study hopes to see if therapeutic touch can improve how they feel and support their healing process.

Adults who have been in the ICU for at least four days, are able to communicate, and have mild to moderate levels of pain and agitation may be eligible to join. Patients who are deeply sedated, on breathing machines, or have certain medical conditions won’t be able to participate. Those who join will be divided into two groups: one will receive therapeutic touch sessions lasting about 15-30 minutes every four days, and the other will receive usual care without therapeutic touch. The study will check levels of pain, agitation, and a stress hormone called cortisol before and after each session to see if there’s any improvement. This study is not yet recruiting participants but aims to better understand if therapeutic touch can be a helpful addition to ICU care.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adults aged 18 years and above.
• • Patients who can communicate verbally.
• • Patients who have been monitored in the intensive care unit for at least 4 days.
• • Patients who are able to give informed consent.
• • Patients who are hemodynamically stable.
• • Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale 1 and above.
• • Visual Analog Scale 1 and above.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Patients under deep sedation.
• • 2. Patients on mechanical ventilation.
• • 3. Patients with psychiatric problems.
• • 4. Patients with skin diseases or open wounds, infections, burns that would prevent therapeutic touch.
• • 5. Patients using sedative/analgesic drugs (excessive sedation or delirium).
• • 6. Patients using corticosteroids or drugs that affect adrenal hormone levels (because these drugs can affect cortisol measurements).
• • 7. Patients who have sudden life-threatening clinical changes during intensive care (e.g. sudden cardiac arrest, shock).