Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as an adjunct... : Cancer Nursing (original) (raw)

Article

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as an adjunct for controlling chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in gynecologic oncology patients

Pearl, Michael L. M.D.; Fischer, Margaret R.N., N.P.; McCauley, Dayna L. Pharm.D.; Valea, Fidel A. M.D.; Chalas, Eva M.D.

Michael L. Pearl is assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Surgery, State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Margaret Fischer is with Long Island Gynecologic Oncologists, Smithtown, New York.

Dayna L. McCauley is lecturer, Department of Pharmacology, and clinical instructor, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Fidel A. Valea is assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Surgery, State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Eva Chalas is associate professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Surgery, State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Address correspondence and requests to Michael L. Pearl, Long Island Gynecologic Oncologists, PC, 994 Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, NY 11787.

Accepted for publication October 14, 1998.

Abstract

Background:

To evaluate the efficacy of a miniaturized portable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit (ReliefBand) as an adjunct to standard antiemetic therapy for controlling nausea and vomiting induced by cisplatin-based chemotherapy in gynecologic oncology patients.

Methods:

Forty-two patients were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-subjects trial with a follow-up crossover trial. All patients received a standardized antiemetic protocol, then wore the ReliefBand continuously for 7 days.

Results:

Thirty-two patients were evaluable for the parallel-subjects component, 16 in each group. The percent-age of patients with absent or minimal nausea was 59% overall, which was similar to that for both the active (56%) and placebo (62%) groups. The incidence and severity of nausea and vomiting was similar for each group. Eighteen patients completed two consecutive cycles and were evaluable for the crossover component. The average age of the crossover patients and their dose intensity were comparable with those of the overall study population (56.3 versus 58.6 years and 22.7 versus 22.7 mg/m2/week, respectively). The percentage of cycles with absent or minimal nausea was 47% overall, which was similar to that of the active (50%) and placebo (44%) cycles. However, the severity of nausea was significantly lower in the active cycles during days 2 to 4. Patients averaged less than one episode of vomiting daily in each cycle.

Conclusions:

The ReliefBand is an effective adjunct to standard antiemetic agents for controlling nausea induced by cisplatin-based chemotherapy in gynecologic oncology patients.