The effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea: a randomized controlled trial

Alexander Molassiotis; Wanda Russell; John Hughes; Matthew Breckons; Mari Lloyd-Williams; Janet Richardson; Claire Hulme; Sarah G Brearley; Malcolm Campbell; Adam Garrow; W David Ryder

doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.03.007

The effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea: a randomized controlled trial

Alexander Molassiotis, Wanda Russell, John Hughes, Matthew Breckons, Mari Lloyd-Williams, Janet Richardson, Claire Hulme, Sarah G Brearley, Malcolm Campbell, Adam Garrow, W David Ryder

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

197 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

CONTEXT: Both positive and negative results have been reported in the literature from the use of acupressure at the P6 point, providing evidence of highly suggestive but not conclusive results.

OBJECTIVES: To clarify whether acupressure is effective in the management of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.

METHODS: A randomized, three-group, sham-controlled trial was designed. Patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy were randomized to receive standardized antiemetics and acupressure wristbands, sham acupressure wristbands, or antiemetics alone. Primary outcome assessment (nausea) was carried out daily for seven days per chemotherapy cycle over four cycles. Secondary outcomes included vomiting, psychological distress, and quality of life.

RESULTS: Five hundred patients were randomized. Primary outcome analysis (nausea in Cycle 1) revealed no statistically significant differences between the three groups, although nausea levels in the proportion of patients using wristbands (both real and sham) were somewhat lower than those in the proportion of patients using antiemetics-only group. Adjusting for gender, age, and emetic risk of chemotherapy, the odds ratio of lower nausea experience was 1.18 and 1.42 for the acupressure and sham acupressure groups, respectively. A gender interaction effect was evident (P = 0.002). No significant differences were detected in relation to vomiting, anxiety, and quality-of-life measures.

CONCLUSION: No clear recommendations can be made about the use of acupressure wristbands in the management of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting as results did not reach statistical significance. However, the study provided evidence of encouraging signals in relation to improved nausea experience and warrants further consideration in both practice and further clinical trials.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered with the ISRCT register, number ISRCTN87604299.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	12-25
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Pain & Symptom Management
Volume	47
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.03.007
Publication status	Published - Jan 2014

Keywords

Acupressure
Acupuncture Points
Adolescent
Adult
Antiemetics
Antineoplastic Agents
Anxiety
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Nausea
Patient Compliance
Quality of Life
Severity of Illness Index
Sex Factors
Treatment Outcome
Vomiting
Wrist
Young Adult
Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.03.007

POST-PEER-REVIEW-PUBLISHERS.PDFFinal published version, 416 KB

Cite this

Molassiotis, A., Russell, W., Hughes, J., Breckons, M., Lloyd-Williams, M., Richardson, J., Hulme, C., Brearley, S. G., Campbell, M., Garrow, A., & Ryder, W. D. (2014). The effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, 47(1), 12-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.03.007

@article{24ecaf048b9b4ccaa6b40cd520b00bfd,

title = "The effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea: a randomized controlled trial",

abstract = "CONTEXT: Both positive and negative results have been reported in the literature from the use of acupressure at the P6 point, providing evidence of highly suggestive but not conclusive results.OBJECTIVES: To clarify whether acupressure is effective in the management of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.METHODS: A randomized, three-group, sham-controlled trial was designed. Patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy were randomized to receive standardized antiemetics and acupressure wristbands, sham acupressure wristbands, or antiemetics alone. Primary outcome assessment (nausea) was carried out daily for seven days per chemotherapy cycle over four cycles. Secondary outcomes included vomiting, psychological distress, and quality of life.RESULTS: Five hundred patients were randomized. Primary outcome analysis (nausea in Cycle 1) revealed no statistically significant differences between the three groups, although nausea levels in the proportion of patients using wristbands (both real and sham) were somewhat lower than those in the proportion of patients using antiemetics-only group. Adjusting for gender, age, and emetic risk of chemotherapy, the odds ratio of lower nausea experience was 1.18 and 1.42 for the acupressure and sham acupressure groups, respectively. A gender interaction effect was evident (P = 0.002). No significant differences were detected in relation to vomiting, anxiety, and quality-of-life measures.CONCLUSION: No clear recommendations can be made about the use of acupressure wristbands in the management of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting as results did not reach statistical significance. However, the study provided evidence of encouraging signals in relation to improved nausea experience and warrants further consideration in both practice and further clinical trials.TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered with the ISRCT register, number ISRCTN87604299.",

keywords = "Acupressure, Acupuncture Points, Adolescent, Adult, Antiemetics, Antineoplastic Agents, Anxiety, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Nausea, Patient Compliance, Quality of Life, Severity of Illness Index, Sex Factors, Treatment Outcome, Vomiting, Wrist, Young Adult, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't",

author = "Alexander Molassiotis and Wanda Russell and John Hughes and Matthew Breckons and Mari Lloyd-Williams and Janet Richardson and Claire Hulme and Brearley, {Sarah G} and Malcolm Campbell and Adam Garrow and Ryder, {W David}",

year = "2014",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.03.007",

language = "English",

volume = "47",

pages = "12--25",

journal = "Journal of Pain & Symptom Management",

issn = "1873-6513",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

number = "1",

}

Molassiotis, A, Russell, W, Hughes, J, Breckons, M, Lloyd-Williams, M, Richardson, J, Hulme, C, Brearley, SG, Campbell, M, Garrow, A & Ryder, WD 2014, 'The effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea: a randomized controlled trial', Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 12-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.03.007

TY - JOUR

T1 - The effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea

T2 - a randomized controlled trial

AU - Molassiotis, Alexander

AU - Russell, Wanda

AU - Hughes, John

AU - Breckons, Matthew

AU - Lloyd-Williams, Mari

AU - Richardson, Janet

AU - Hulme, Claire

AU - Brearley, Sarah G

AU - Campbell, Malcolm

AU - Garrow, Adam

AU - Ryder, W David

PY - 2014/1

Y1 - 2014/1

N2 - CONTEXT: Both positive and negative results have been reported in the literature from the use of acupressure at the P6 point, providing evidence of highly suggestive but not conclusive results.OBJECTIVES: To clarify whether acupressure is effective in the management of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.METHODS: A randomized, three-group, sham-controlled trial was designed. Patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy were randomized to receive standardized antiemetics and acupressure wristbands, sham acupressure wristbands, or antiemetics alone. Primary outcome assessment (nausea) was carried out daily for seven days per chemotherapy cycle over four cycles. Secondary outcomes included vomiting, psychological distress, and quality of life.RESULTS: Five hundred patients were randomized. Primary outcome analysis (nausea in Cycle 1) revealed no statistically significant differences between the three groups, although nausea levels in the proportion of patients using wristbands (both real and sham) were somewhat lower than those in the proportion of patients using antiemetics-only group. Adjusting for gender, age, and emetic risk of chemotherapy, the odds ratio of lower nausea experience was 1.18 and 1.42 for the acupressure and sham acupressure groups, respectively. A gender interaction effect was evident (P = 0.002). No significant differences were detected in relation to vomiting, anxiety, and quality-of-life measures.CONCLUSION: No clear recommendations can be made about the use of acupressure wristbands in the management of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting as results did not reach statistical significance. However, the study provided evidence of encouraging signals in relation to improved nausea experience and warrants further consideration in both practice and further clinical trials.TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered with the ISRCT register, number ISRCTN87604299.

AB - CONTEXT: Both positive and negative results have been reported in the literature from the use of acupressure at the P6 point, providing evidence of highly suggestive but not conclusive results.OBJECTIVES: To clarify whether acupressure is effective in the management of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.METHODS: A randomized, three-group, sham-controlled trial was designed. Patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy were randomized to receive standardized antiemetics and acupressure wristbands, sham acupressure wristbands, or antiemetics alone. Primary outcome assessment (nausea) was carried out daily for seven days per chemotherapy cycle over four cycles. Secondary outcomes included vomiting, psychological distress, and quality of life.RESULTS: Five hundred patients were randomized. Primary outcome analysis (nausea in Cycle 1) revealed no statistically significant differences between the three groups, although nausea levels in the proportion of patients using wristbands (both real and sham) were somewhat lower than those in the proportion of patients using antiemetics-only group. Adjusting for gender, age, and emetic risk of chemotherapy, the odds ratio of lower nausea experience was 1.18 and 1.42 for the acupressure and sham acupressure groups, respectively. A gender interaction effect was evident (P = 0.002). No significant differences were detected in relation to vomiting, anxiety, and quality-of-life measures.CONCLUSION: No clear recommendations can be made about the use of acupressure wristbands in the management of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting as results did not reach statistical significance. However, the study provided evidence of encouraging signals in relation to improved nausea experience and warrants further consideration in both practice and further clinical trials.TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered with the ISRCT register, number ISRCTN87604299.

KW - Acupressure

KW - Acupuncture Points

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Antiemetics

KW - Antineoplastic Agents

KW - Anxiety

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Nausea

KW - Patient Compliance

KW - Quality of Life

KW - Severity of Illness Index

KW - Sex Factors

KW - Treatment Outcome

KW - Vomiting

KW - Wrist

KW - Young Adult

KW - Journal Article

KW - Randomized Controlled Trial

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.03.007

DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.03.007

M3 - Article

C2 - 23602325

SN - 1873-6513

VL - 47

SP - 12

EP - 25

JO - Journal of Pain & Symptom Management

JF - Journal of Pain & Symptom Management

IS - 1

ER -

The effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this