背景：先前的研究已支持瑞典式按摩可以有效降低血壓，然而各研究給予瑞典式按摩之頻率與治療期間均未一致。目的：本研究探討為期六週之瑞典式按摩對降低前期以及第一期高血壓患者血壓的效果。方法：本研究採用隨機、對照、平行組設計。從2013年到2014年，共36名患者從台灣中部一所教學醫院的心血管門診所招募。主要的成效指標為收縮壓，次要的成效指標為舒張壓。指標評估者在未知道組別分配情況下，於第1週和第6週評估成效指標。結果：治療組個案其第6週的收縮壓於六週的按摩介入後能顯著下降，但控制組個案的第6週收縮壓並未顯著下降。另將收縮壓於介入措施前後的改變量做為依變項，組別做為自變項，於控制基準點的收縮壓後，共變數分析結果顯示兩組間的收縮壓改變量有顯著差異；但兩組個案在第6週的舒張壓均未顯著下降，且共變數分析結果顯示，介入措施前後的舒張壓改變量於兩組間沒有顯著差異。結論：於控制基準點的收縮壓後，從基準點到治療介入後的收縮壓改變量於兩組間有顯著差異。顯示瑞典式按摩可以有效降低前期和第一期高血壓患者的收縮壓。

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of Swedish massage for blood pressure (BP) reduction. However, data of the frequency and duration of Swedish massage therapy were scarce and heterogeneous. Objectives: This preliminary study investigated the efficacy of a 6-week Swedish massage program on the reduction of BP in participants with pre-hypertension and stage-I hypertension. Methods: This study used a randomized, controlled, parallel-group design. Between 2013 and 2014, 36 patients were recruited from cardiovascular clinics of a teaching hospital in Central Taiwan. The group assignment was masked to the outcome assessor. The primary outcome was the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the secondary outcome was the diastolic BP (DBP). The outcomes were assessed at baseline (Week 1) and after the completion of intervention (Week 6). Results: SBP significantly decreased after completing the 6 sessions of treatment in the massage group but not in the control group. A significantly difference in SBP reduction between the two groups was revealed from analysis of covariance using the change in SBP as the dependent variable, baseline SBP as the covariate, and group as the independent variable. By contrast, DBP remained unchanged in both of the groups. The changes in DBP from baseline to posttest were not significantly different between groups. Conclusion: The changes in SBP from baseline to posttest were significantly different between groups after adjustment of baseline SBP. Swedish massage exerted a specific treatment effect in reducing SBP in individuals with prehypertension and stage I hypertension.