Clinical trials

This randomized controlled trial investigates the effectiveness of infant massage in reducing symptoms of immobilization-related lymphedema and improving comfort in preterm newborns hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Preterm infants frequently develop lymphedema due to their immature circulatory systems and prolonged lack of movement. The study compares two groups of infants: one receiving standard care and another receiving a daily 15-minute massage therapy session for 14 consecutive days in addition to standard care. Researchers will evaluate the impact of the massage by measuring the circumference of the infants' wrists, elbows, ankles, and knees to assess fluid reduction. Additionally, the infants' comfort levels will be assessed using the Premature Infant Comfort Scale (PICS). The goal is to determine if massage can serve as a safe, non-invasive method to manage lymphedema and reduce distress in this vulnerable population.

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the immediate effects of paraffin wax therapy on muscle stiffness and pain among patients diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). The intervention involves immersing the hand and forearm in paraffin wax at 42-44 °C for 20 minutes. Stiffness will be measured using the MyotonPro device, and pain will be evaluated using standard visual scales.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common entrapment neuropathy that causes pain, paresthesia and functional limitations in the hand and wrist. Hydrotherapy methods such as warm whirlpool baths are frequently used in physiotherapy practice to reduce pain and improve soft-tissue properties, but their acute effects on forearm and hand muscle stiffness in CTS have not been clearly quantified. This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the acute effects of a single session of warm whirlpool bath therapy on forearm and hand muscle stiffness and pain intensity in adults with CTS. Participants diagnosed with CTS will be randomly allocated to an experimental group receiving a 20-minute warm whirlpool bath or to a resting control group. Muscle stiffness of selected forearm and hand muscles will be assessed using the MyotonPRO device, and pain intensity will be recorded with a numeric rating scale, immediately before and after the intervention. It is hypothesized that warm whirlpool bath therapy will produce a greater reduction in muscle stiffness and pain compared with rest alone.

Low back pain is frequently associated with increased tone and stiffness of the lumbar erector spinae muscles, which may contribute to pain and functional limitation. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non-invasive, safe, and widely used modality for pain reduction, but its very short-term (immediate) effects on lumbar muscle stiffness have not been clearly demonstrated. This randomized controlled trial will compare a single 20-minute session of conventional TENS with a control/rest condition in patients with non-specific low back pain. The primary outcomes will be change in lumbar erector spinae muscle stiffness (Myoton) and change in pain intensity (VAS) from baseline to immediately after the intervention. We hypothesize that TENS will produce a greater immediate reduction in muscle stiffness and pain than control.

While the benefits of flexibility exercises for office workers are well known, there is no randomized controlled comparison to determine whether these exercises can be delivered more effectively and safely by a specialist or by an automated artificial intelligence algorithm. Furthermore, considering the dynamic programming potential of artificial intelligence, determining whether this method can provide results similar to or superior to traditional methods is critical for the development of future healthcare models. The primary objective of this study is to compare the effects of 15-minute home-based flexibility exercises derived by artificial intelligence and produced by humans, administered over a 4-week period, on office workers' overall flexibility, back health, and muscle stiffness levels. This study is a two-armed, single-blind randomized controlled trial. Participants will be blinded to which group they are assigned to. This study will be respond "Are flexibility exercises generated by artificial intelligence more effective than human-generated flexibility exercises" question. During the study, participants who sign the volunteer information form and consent form and meet the inclusion criteria will be divided equally into two groups using a simple random method (coin toss): * Group A: Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Based Flexibility Group. * Group B: Human Expert-Based Flexibility Group. Intervention programs will include a standardized 15-minute flexibility exercise program will be automatically generated for each participant via Gemini, an AI-powered platform for group A, and a 15-minute program consisting of standardized flexibility exercises modified for each participant created by two qualified physiotherapists, based on calisthenic exercises (using body weight). This program will target the same muscle groups as the AI group's program and will be of similar duration. The exercise program will last a total of 4 weeks. Participants will exercise 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) for 15 minutes a day in their own environment.

This single-centre, parallel-group randomized controlled trial will test whether one session of moist hot-pack therapy produces immediate improvements in pain intensity and lumbar erector spinae muscle stiffness in adults with nonspecific low back pain. Participants are randomized 1:1 to hot-pack or sham (room-temperature pack). Outcomes are assessed at baseline and immediately after the session using VAS (0-10 cm) and MyotonPro; a short follow-up (24-48 h) captures Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and perceived change. The intervention is brief, low-risk, and commonly used in clinical practice, yet high-quality evidence on its acute effects is limited.

Pregnancy, a physiological state, is defined both as a turning point and a developmental crisis . Pregnancy directly affects maternal and child health, and in cases of complications, it can lead to morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries . According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 830 women worldwide die daily due to preventable pregnancy- and childbirth-related causes, with 99% of all maternal deaths occurring in developing countries, including Turkey (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality). In Turkey, the 2005 National Maternal Mortality Study reported a maternal mortality rate of 28.5 per 100,000 live births. This study revealed that 49.3% of pregnancy-related deaths and 61.6% of maternal deaths were due to preventable causes Hemorrhage, infection, and preeclampsia/eclampsia are among the leading causes of maternal mortality both in Turkey and globally . This significant issue is included in the Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2030) as a target to reduce global maternal mortality High-risk pregnancy refers to conditions where maternal, fetal, or neonatal health is partially or entirely at risk . According to the 2013 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TNSA), 63% of pregnant women aged 18-34 in Turkey fall into at least one risk category. High-risk pregnancies are associated with various physiological and psychological challenges, negatively impacting maternal, infant, and family health . In addition to posing life-threatening risks, high-risk pregnancies represent a crisis related to fertility . When a pregnancy is high-risk, emotional distress increases due to maternal or fetal complications . Compared to low-risk pregnancies, high-risk pregnant women experience significantly higher stress regarding their own and their baby's health . Stressors experienced by high-risk pregnant women include receiving a high-risk pregnancy diagnosis, unplanned pregnancy, pregnancy complications, fetal abnormalities, childbirth fears, adolescent pregnancies, marital issues, lack of social support, economic concerns, postpartum problems, and hospitalization . Perceived stress during pregnancy is highly significant for pregnancy outcomes . Pregnancy-related stress has been characterized as a stronger form of stress than general stress due to its ability to trigger heightened physiological arousal . This can have adverse effects, increasing maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality risks . Stress may elevate oxytocin and prostaglandin hormone levels while reducing beta-endorphin and progesterone levels, leading to birth complications or adverse birth outcomes . Stress during pregnancy has been associated with negative birth outcomes, including preterm labor, spontaneous abortion, neonatal malformations, and growth retardation . Additionally, stress can negatively impact parental attachment to the fetus and newborn . There is a bidirectional relationship between attachment and a woman's psychosocial well-being. Prenatal attachment is influenced by the mother's psychosocial state, and a lack of attachment can negatively affect her mental well-being. Literature suggests a link between prenatal attachment and long-term maternal depression . A study highlighting the potential adverse effects of stress on prenatal attachment in high-risk pregnancies emphasized the importance of supporting prenatal attachment to prevent postpartum issues such as anxiety and depression .

Smoking is an important psychosocial problem that concerns society. It is reported that 1.3 billion people use tobacco products in the world and approximately 6 million people lose their lives due to smoking every year. Despite the high mortality rate, smoking addiction is shown as one of the biggest preventable diseases and causes of death. Individuals with mental health problems have a much higher smoking rate than the general population. Studies show that people with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression have a smoking rate three to four times higher than the general population. It has been reported that this high smoking rate is associated with more morbidity, mortality and increased healthcare costs in individuals with severe mental disorders. It is reported that nurses, who spend the most time with patients and constitute the largest group of healthcare personnel, have an effective role in smoking cessation initiatives. The importance of nurses in tobacco control is emphasized in the publication titled "Nurses for a Tobacco-Free Life" by the International Council of Nursing (ICN). Although both national and international literature demonstrates that smoking is a serious problem in individuals with severe mental illness through descriptive research results, it is seen that smoking cessation intervention studies are quite limited. Randomized controlled intervention studies examining the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions applied by nurses to individuals with severe mental illnesses could not be found in the literature. This study will be conducted to examine the effectiveness of smoking cessation education in patients registered in a community mental health center. In light of this information, this study was planned as a randomized controlled study to examine the effectiveness of smoking cessation education in patients registered in a community mental health center. The data obtained from this study will reveal the effectiveness of smoking cessation education in individuals with severe mental illnesses and contribute to filling the gap in the literature in this area. In addition, a method for using smoking cessation education in individuals with severe mental illnesses will be presented with a high level of evidence study.