The Effect of Acupressure Chemotherapy-related Nausea Vomiting in Children
Condition: Pediatric Cancer; Nausea With Vomiting Chemotherapy-Induced
MeSH terms: Nausea; Vomiting
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study is carried out to evaluate and compare the efficiency of acupressure practice
      applied with pressure or sea-band and their placebo on managing the acute nausea-vomiting
      symptoms developing due to chemotherapy in pediatric oncology patients.
    

Detailed description: 
      Every year children aged 0 to 19 years old are diagnosed with cancer around the world. For
      pediatric oncology patients, chemotherapy-related acute nausea and vomiting are among most
      common symptoms and has a bad influence on quality of life. When it cannot be prevented, it
      can cause serious medical problems. Continuous, repetitive and unavoidable vomiting affects
      patients' and their families' quality of life adversely, causing delay or even termination in
      chemotherapy treatment. It is a well-known fact that medical treatment is insufficient to
      control nausea and vomiting symptoms. Therefore, supportive care is needed besides medical
      treatment. One of the approaches mentioned is acupressure. Non-invasive stimulation of the P6
      acupuncture point is a harmless and complementary approach to health. The point between
      flexor carpi radialis and palmaris longus, located at a three finger distance from the wrist
      crease, is named as "P6 Nei-Guan". This acupuncture point, placed on the pericardium channel,
      is generally used to harmonize stomach and relieve the vomiting. Acupressure is a way of
      stimulation applied on acupuncture points by finger, palm or acustimulation bands (sea-band,
      relief band) and can be used for children as well. Acupressure is defined as one of the
      complementary health approaches which nurses can apply. It is stated that this method, which
      is non-invasive, economical, easy to apply and reliable, has no side effect and patients can
      apply to themselves with a good guidance.

      Chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting are among the symptoms affecting children's quality
      of life and their adaptation to the treatment. There are limited amount of research intended
      to manage pediatric oncology patients' chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting symptoms by
      using acupressure. It is thought that the research will provide significant contribution for
      literature, nursing practice and the quality of patient care since power of the study is high
      and it is the first study which efficiency of wrist-band, manuel acupressure and placebos is
      being compared for management of chemotherapy-related acute nausea and vomiting symptoms in
      pediatric oncology patients.
    

Intervention name(s): manuel acupressure; sea-band acupressure; placebo manuel acupressure; placebo sea-band
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Acupressure was applied once by the researcher 30 minutes before applying the chemotherapeutic agent with medium or high emetogenicity to the randomized child. 3 fingers were placed on the child's wrist with their fingers and the region (point P6) between the flexor carpi radians and palmaris longus 1 cm below. Acupressure was applied to the wrist of the child by press for 2 minutes. The same procedure was applied to the other wrist. Then, data were recorded in accordance with the data collection procedure.; 30 minutes before applying the chemotherapeutic agent with medium or high emetogenicity to the randomized child, sea-band acupress was applied by the researcher. The P6 point on the wrist was identified and marked with the child's own fingers. A sea band was attached to both wrists of the child by the researcher. The attached sea-band was allowed to remain for 15 minutes and was removed by the researcher at the end of the period. Separate sea-band was attached to each child. Acupress wrist bands, which are produced in separate sizes for adults and children, were used during the application, taking into account the physical development of the child, pediatric for the age range of 5-12, and adult size sea-band for the age of 12. Acupress application with sea-band was done once. Then, data were recorded in accordance with the data collection procedure; Placebo manual acupress was applied in the next protocol for the child who was administered manual acupressure.; Placebo sea-band was applied in the next protocol for the child who was administered sea-band acupressure.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Factorial Assignment
Intervention model description: One of the 2 procedure groups randomized with sealed envelope was applied acupressure with pressure to the P-6 point on the wrist of the child by the researcher in the first application, the other is applied with sea-band, and it was followed for 24 hours. Acupressure application was performed on both wrists for 2 minutes each with pressure, and 15 minutes each with sea-band. In the next chemotherapy treatment, a placebo of the first procedure (placebo pressure/placebo sea-band) was applied to each child, which ensured the control group of their own.
Masking: Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: nursing; child cancer patients; acupressure; Nausea with Vomiting Chemotherapy-Induced; nausea and vomiting; pediatric cancer