The effect of the position given to patients after coronary angiography on back pain and comfort

This study was conducted as a randomized, controlled, experimental trial to determine the effect of the semi-fowler position on back pain and comfort in patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG). The population of the study consisted of 200 patients who applied for coronary angiography at a public hospital's coronary intensive care unit and cardiology clinic between November 5, 2023, and February 28, 2024. The sample size was calculated as a minimum of 58 patients per group, as determined by power analysis (alpha=0.05, power=0.80) and the study was completed with 130 patients (65 patients per group). Patients were assigned to the control and intervention groups by the minimization method. Data were collected using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and a Patient Introduction Form to assess the pain and comfort levels of the patients. Prior to the starting the research, the necessary permissions were obtained from the institution where the study was conducted, from the patients and the ethics committee. In the analysis of data, frequency and percentage values, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for the normal distribution of continuous variables, chi-square for comparisons of qualitative variables, two-way analysis of variance for comparison of repeated measurements of pain and comfort scores according to groups, and the relationship between two continuous variables were evaluated with the Pearson correlation coefficient. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. IBM SPSS Statistics 23 package program was used for the analysis of the date. The intervention group was hospitalized in supine position after coronary angiography. The first measurement was taken when the patient was placed in bed after the procedure, and the Patient Introduction Form and VAS for comfort and pain were applied (Hour 0). Following the withdrawal of the mattresses, the patient was given the semi-fowler position. VAS was applied at the 2nd and 4th hours after the positioning. Patients in the control group were placed to bed in the supine position in accordance with the routine practice of the clinic at the exit of coronary angiography and were allowed to stay in this position for six hours. When the patients were put to in bed, the Patient Introduction Form, VAS were applied for comfort and pain (0. hour). VAS was applied at the 2nd and 4th hours following the removal of the mattresses. Patients' back pain and comfort were evaluated, and the results were recorded on the relevant forms. In the comparison of the mean pain and comfort severity scores according to the measurement times between the groups, it was found that the total score of post-CAG pain and the Group*time interaction were statistically significant according to the 0th, 2nd and 4th hour measurements, the post-CAG pain score of the control group was higher and the comfort score was lower than the intervention group according to the measurement times, and there was a negative relationship between the post-CAG pain and comfort measurement times of the intervention and control groups. It was determined that the semi-fowler position reduced back pain and increased patient comfort in patients undergoing coronary angiography. In line with these results, it may be recommended to give semi-fowler position to reduce back pain and increase comfort of patients, to conduct studies in which different positions that may be effective in reducing pain and increasing comfort are given according to the literature.