The Effect of Reciting the Word “Allah” on Vital Signs and SpO2 of Patients After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Control of hemodynamic status and vital signs of patients is a critical practice in intensive care unit (ICU) and use of a low- cost and soothing method to maintain stable physiological parameters is necessary. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of reciting the word “Allah” on patients’ vital signs and blood oxygen saturation (SpO )aftercoronaryarterybypassgraft(CABG)surgery. 2 Patients and Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was performed on 80 hospitalized patients in open heart ICU of Busheher Bentolhoda Hospital, Iran in 2013. Data was collected by a researcher-made questionnaire. Patients were randomly assigned into intervention (n: 40) and control (n: 40) groups. In intervention group, we asked patients to recite Hazrate Zahra’s praises (AS), in which the word “Allah” is repeated 100 times, while in the control group, patients just received routine procedures of hospital. Vital signs and SpO2 were assessed before and immediately after the intervention three times (24, 48 and 72 hours after surgery) in both groups. Data was analyzed by SPSS 19 software using descriptive and analytic (Chi-square and t-test) statistical methods. Results: There was a significant difference between mean of respiratory, pulse and SpO2 rate of patients in intervention group during three days after the operation, before and after the intervention (P < 0.05). However there was a significant difference between mean of diastolic blood pressure and temperature (P < 0.05), excepting in one time section; no significant difference was found in systolic blood pressure in any time sections (P > 0.05) before and after the recitation in intervention group. Moreover, a significant difference was seen in the mean of SpO2 and respiratory rate within 72 hours after operation between the two groups (P = 0.01), but no significant difference was found between the two studied groups before the intervention. Conclusions: Reciting the word “Allah” as a non-pharmacological, low-cost, noninvasive and without side effects method can be effective onphysiologicalresponses,especiallyrespiratoryandSpO rateafterCABGsurgery. 2 Keywords: Islam; Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery; Vital Signs; Blood Oxygen Saturation; Iran