The effect of reflexotherapy on chemotherapy-induced vomiting of
Advances in Nursing & Midwifery,
Vol. 21 No. 76 (2012),
8 Dey 2012
,
Page 60-68
Abstract
Abstract
Background and aim
Vomiting as a side effect of chemotherapy causes to refuse or delay in treatment by most cases. Nowadays,
for controlling these side effects researchers attempt to use noninvasive-, safe- and low cost methods, instead
of expensive drugs with various side effects. This study aimed to assess effect of reflexotherapy on vomiting
reduction among patients under chemotherapy, in oncology-hematology ward of Zahedan's Ali Ebn Abitaleb
Hospital in 2010.
Materials and Methods
This study was a before and after clinical trial (pre-test and post-test) with a group of 37 patients. The
participants were selected using purposeful sampling method and based on the results of a pilot study. They
were also considered once in the control group (receiving anti-vomiting drug Granisetron) and after 15 to 20
days in the interventional group (receiving reflexotherapy in a period of 10 minutes for each leg). The
Summary of Morrow Questionnaire and CTCv
2.0
Y/WX
Findings
The mean age of samples was 44.73 ±13.38 (years). Majority of participants were married and women.
Patients were in their second to 15th cycle of chemotherapy; receiving Cisplatin–Gemzar or Adriamycincyclophosphamide
and were from breast cancer cases. Assessment of severity of vomiting during first 24
hours showed more sever vomiting in the first 4 hours among control group than interventional group
(p<0.001), but it was more severe in interventional gropup than control group in third 4 hours (p<0.001) and
the second 12 hours (p=0.006). During the second 4 hours, severity of vomiting was not significantly
different between the two Groups (p=0.313). Finnally, the results showed no significant difference between
two treatment methods respecting their effect on severity (p=0.153) and the number of vomiting (p=0.239)
during the 24 hours after treatment.
Conclusion
Although reflexotherapy was not shown to have positive effect on chemotherapy induced vomiting of
patients but it caused to reduce severity and number of vomiting in the first 4 hours after chemotherapy
among patients with moderate and sever vomiting. Therefore, experimental study using reflexotherapy is
recommended in multiple sessions.
Key words:
Chemotherapy, Vomiting, Reflexotherapy.
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) was confirmed beforehand. Data was
analyzed using central and dispersion indexes as well as Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests and Marginal
modeling (generalized estimating equations GEE).
(Common Toxicity Criteria Version 2) of National Cancer
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questionnaire and its reliability (Chronbach alpha Coefficient =
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