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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2018 Mar 15;124(6):1188-1196.
doi: 10.1002/cncr.31198. Epub 2017 Dec 19.

Acupressure bands do not improve chemotherapy-induced nausea control in pediatric patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy: A single-blinded, randomized controlled trial

L Lee Dupuis  1   2 , Kara M Kelly  3   4 , Jeffrey P Krischer  5   6 , Anne-Marie Langevin  7 , Roy N Tamura  5 , Ping Xu  5 , Lu Chen  8 , E Anders Kolb  9 , Nicole J Ullrich  10   11 , Olle Jane Z Sahler  12 , Eleanor Hendershot  13   14 , Ann Stratton  15 , Lillian Sung  16   17 , Thomas W McLean  18
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Acupressure bands do not improve chemotherapy-induced nausea control in pediatric patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy: A single-blinded, randomized controlled trial

L Lee Dupuis et al. Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting remain common, distressing side effects of chemotherapy. It has been reported that acupressure prevents chemotherapy-induced nausea in adults, but it has not been well studied in children.

Methods: In this multicenter, prospective, randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled trial, the authors compared acute-phase nausea severity in patients ages 4 to 18 years who were receiving highly emetic chemotherapy using standard antiemetic agents combined with acupressure wrist bands, the most common type of acupressure, versus sham bands. Patients wore acupressure or sham bands continuously on each day of chemotherapy and for up to 7 days afterward. Chemotherapy-induced nausea severity in the delayed phase and chemotherapy-induced vomiting control in the acute and delayed phases also were compared.

Results: Of the 187 patients randomized, 165 contributed nausea severity assessments during the acute phase. Acupressure bands did not reduce the severity of chemotherapy-induced nausea in the acute phase (odds ratio [OR], 1.33; 95% confidence limits, 0.89-2.00, in which an OR <1.00 favored acupressure) or in the delayed phase (OR, 1.23; 95% CL, 0.75-2.01). Furthermore, acupressure bands did not improve daily vomiting control during the acute phase (OR, 1.57; 95% CL, 0.95-2.59) or the delayed phase (OR, 0.84; 95% CL, 0.45-1.58). No serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusions: Acupressure bands were safe but did not improve chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting in pediatric patients who were receiving highly emetic chemotherapy. Cancer 2018;124:1188-96. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Keywords: acupressure; chemotherapy; nausea; pediatrics; supportive care; vomiting.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Consort Diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Frequency of Emetic Episodes on Each Day of the Acute Phase
Blue: No emetic episode; Orange: 1–2 emetic episodes; Green: >2 emetic episodes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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