Evaluation of the effect of acupressure on nausea and vomiting in acute myeloblastic leukemia patients receiving chemotherapy

The research was designed experimentally to evaluate the effect of acupressure on nausea and vomiting, which was applied, in addition to antiemetic drugs, on P6 (Neiguan) acupuncture points in the wrist to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea-vomiting (CINV) in patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia.The research was conducted in Gaziantep University, Şahinbey Research and Application Hospital?s Hematology Department between July 2010 and February 2012. Permission was obtained from the institution and the ethics committee before initiating the research. The research sample consisted of 90 patients in total, with 30 control patients, 30 patients in the wrist band group and 30 patients in the pressure group, who met the research criteria and volunteered to participate in the study. For a period of four days, acupressure was applied in the wrist-band group on P6 acupuncture points in both wrists using a wrist band, and in the pressure group by using finger pressure technique. No intervention was performed in the control groups except for the routine antiemetic treatment. Research data were collected using a patient description form; a chart in which nausea-vomiting, antiemetic drugs taken and vital symptoms were recorded; and Visual Analog Scale which evaluated the severity of nausea-vomiting. Number-percentage distribution, chi-square were used in data analysis, and variance analysis was used in repeated measurements.It was determined that the mean age of patients was 43.9±17.4 years; 55.6% were unemployed, 33.3% had income equal to their expenses, and 80% were married.The acupressure band applied to the study subjects was observed to decrease the number and severity of nausea-vomiting incidence. However, acupressure administered using pressure did not have any effect on the number and severity of nausea-vomiting incidence. This decrease was found to be insignificant in the first post-chemotherapy day and significant in the following days (p<0.05), and acupressure band was found to be more effective in decreasing the number and mean scores of nausea-vomiting.Consequently, it was determined that acupressure was effective in reducing chemotherapy-related nausea-vomiting. It may be recommended that acupressure should be used together with pharmacological methods in the control of chemotherapy-induced nausea-vomiting due to its efficacy, convenience and low cost.