| 1. |
- Enblom, Anna, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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Acupuncture compared with placebo acupuncture in radiotherapy-induced nausea - a randomized controlled study.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Annals of oncology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1569-8041 .- 0923-7534. ; 23:5, s. 1353-1361
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: It is not known if verum (real) acupuncture is effective for nausea and vomiting (emesis) during radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We randomly treated 215 blinded cancer patients with verum: penetrating 'deqi' creating acupuncture (n = 109) or non-penetrating sham needles (n = 106) two to three times per week. The patients documented emesis daily during the radiotherapy period. Primary end point was the number of patients with at least one episode of nausea. RESULTS: In the verum and the sham acupuncture group, 70% and 62% experienced nausea at least once during the radiotherapy period (relative risk 1.1, 95% CI 0.9-1.4) for a mean number of 10.1 and 8.7 days. Twenty five percent and 28% vomited, and 42% and 37% used antiemetic drugs at least once, respectively. Ninety-five percent in the verum acupuncture group and 96% in the sham acupuncture group believed that the treatment had been effective against nausea. In both groups, 67% experienced positive effects on relaxation, mood, sleep or pain reduction and 89% wished to receive the treatment again. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture creating deqi is not more effective than sham in radiotherapy-induced nausea, but in this study, nearly all patients in both groups experienced that the treatment was effective for nausea.
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| 2. |
- Enblom, Anna, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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Can individuals identify if needling was performed with an acupuncture needle or a non-penetrating sham needle?
- 2008
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Ingår i: Complementary Therapies in Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0965-2299 .- 1873-6963. ; 16:5, s. 288-94
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A control treatment in acupuncture research must be credible, regardless if the needling is performed by one or by several therapists.Objective: To investigate if individuals could identify whether needling had been given with an acupuncture needle or a sham needle and if the therapist influenced this ability.Design: Eighty individuals were randomized to one single needling given by one of four physiotherapists using either an invasive needle or a non-penetrating telescopic sham needle.Results: An equal proportion of individuals, 27 (68%), in the acupuncture group and the sham group answered incorrectly or was not sure at all regarding needling type but the proportion varied between the therapists from 55 to 80% (ns). Bang's blinding index was 0.20 (95% CI 0.03-0.36) in the acupuncture group and 0.10 (95% CI 0.09-0.29) in the sham group (interpretation: 20 and 10% identified needling type beyond statistical chance). Acupuncture was on a four-grade scale rated as median "mildly painful" and sham as "not painful" (ns). Pain ratings varied from median "not" to "mildly painful" in the therapists (p = 0.01).Conclusions: Two thirds of individuals needled by acupuncture as well as sham could not identify needling type and only 10-20% of the individuals were unblinded beyond chance. The therapists, not the needling type, influenced how painful the needling was perceived. IMPLICATIONS: To achieve blinding success in acupuncture efficacy studies using the sham needle, the needling procedure must be strictly standardized in order to minimize differences between the therapists.
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| 3. |
- Enblom, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Complementary and alternative medicine self-care strategies for nausea in patients undergoing abdominal or pelvic irradiation for cancer: A longitudinal observational study of implementation in routine care
- 2017
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Ingår i: Complementary Therapies in Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0965-2299 .- 1873-6963. ; 34, s. 141-148
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To longitudinally describe practice of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) self-care strategies for nausea during radiotherapy. Methods Two hundred patients daily registered nausea and practice of CAM self-care strategies, beside conventional antiemetic medications, for nausea during abdominal/pelvic irradiation (median five weeks) for gynecological (69%) colorectal (27%) or other tumors (4%). Results During radiotherapy, 131 (66%) experienced nausea, and 50 (25%) practiced self-care for nausea at least once, for a mean (m) of 15.9 days. The six of 50 patients who stayed free from nausea practiced self-care more frequent (m = 25.8 days) than the 44 patients experiencing nausea (m = 14.5) (p = 0.013). The CAM self-care strategies were: modifying eating (80% of all self-care practicing patients, 80% of the nauseous patients versus 83% of the patients free from nausea; ns) or drinking habits (38%, 41% vs 17%; ns), taking rests (18%, 20% vs 0%; ns), physical exercising (6%, 2% vs 33%; p = 0.035), acupressure (4%, 5% vs 0%; ns) and self-induced vomiting (2%, 2% vs 0%; ns). Conclusion A fourth of patients undergoing emetogenic radiotherapy practiced CAM self-care for nausea, mostly by modifying eating or drinking habits. The CAM self-care practicing patients who did not become nauseous practiced self-care more frequent than the nauseous patients did. To make such self-care evidence based, we need studies evaluating its efficacy. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd
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| 4. |
- Enblom, Anna, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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Frequent Stools Were Related to Reduced Quality of Life and Capacity in Daily Activities Weekly Observations During and After Pelvic or Abdominal Radiotherapy
- 2020
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Ingår i: Cancer Nursing. - : LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS. - 0162-220X .- 1538-9804. ; 43:6, s. 478-488
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Greater knowledge regarding stool frequency and infrequency during pelvic and abdominal irradiation is needed to accurately identify patients at risk of either. Objective To describe occurrence of frequent and infrequent stools during pelvic-abdominal radiotherapy, and to compare quality of life (QoL) and activities of daily living (ADLs) of those patients experiencing frequent stools with those of patients experiencing infrequent stools. Methods Longitudinally during radiotherapy, 193 patients (64% had gynecological tumors) documented stool frequency, medications, and QoL using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General. Results Fifty (26%) experienced frequent stools (>= 28 stools a week), and 17 (9%) experienced infrequent stools (<3 stools a week). The frequency of stools and the consumption of medication for diarrhea were highest the last week of the radiotherapy period (50% had >= 49 stools a week, and 50% could not even define the number of stools). Thirty-seven of the patients experiencing frequent stools used antidiarrhea medications. Patients with frequent stools experienced lower QoL (P = .035) and capacity in ADLs (P = .023) compared with patients not experiencing frequent stools. Conclusions A fourth of patients irradiated over pelvic or abdominal fields experienced frequent stools, defined as moderate to severe diarrhea, and those patients experienced lower QoL and capacity in ADLs compared with patients who did not experience frequent stools. Infrequent stools were rarely experienced. Implications for Practice Cancer nursing professionals should deliver evidence-based strategies to prevent frequent stools and treat frequent stools as an approach to lower the risk of impaired capacity in daily living and worsened QoL.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Enblom, Anna, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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Methodology Aspects of Nausea Measuring During Pelvic Radiotherapy: Daily Nausea Measuring Is Successful to Identify Patients Experiencing Nausea
- 2020
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Ingår i: Cancer Nursing. - : LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS. - 0162-220X .- 1538-9804. ; 43:2, s. 93-104
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Nausea seems underreported during pelvic radiotherapy. Objective The aims of this study were to investigate if a 5-week recall measure of nausea covering the entire radiotherapy period was comparable with accumulated daily nausea measurements and to investigate if the measuring method affected potential difference in quality of life (QoL) between nauseated patients and patients free from nausea. Methods This longitudinal methodology study covered 200 patients (mean age, 64 years; 84% women; 69% had gynecological cancer). The patients graded QoL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General). They registered nausea daily and at a 5-week recall at the end of radiotherapy. Results The nausea-intensity category scale and visual analog scale correlated well (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.622). According to the 5-week recall, 57 of 157 answering patients (36%) experienced nausea during the radiotherapy period. Using the daily nausea measurements, 94 of 157 patients (60%) experienced nausea (relative risk, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-2.10). Of these 94 nauseated patients, 39 (42%) did not report nausea using the 5-week recall. The nauseated patients experienced worse QoL (physical/functional subscores) than patients free from nausea whether nausea was registered daily or at the 5-week recall. Conclusions Almost half, 42%, of the patients who experienced nausea according to daily nausea measurements did not report having had nausea according to the 5-week recall. Nauseated patients graded worse QoL than patients who were free from nausea. Implications for Practice Nursing professionals should measure nausea repeatedly to identify patients at risk of nausea and worsened QoL, to be able to deliver evidence-based antiemetic treatment strategies.
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| 7. |
- Enblom, Anna, 1978-
(författare)
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Nausea and vomiting in patients receiving acupuncture, sham acupuncture or standard care during radiotherapy
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background and aim: Many patients with cancer experience emesis (nausea and vomiting) during radiotherapy. The overall aim of this thesis was to improve the situation for patients with risk for emesis during radiotherapy, by evaluating emesis in patients receiving verum (genuine) acupuncture, sham (simulated) acupuncture or standard care during radiotherapy.Methods: In study I, a cross-sectional sample (n=368) treated with radiotherapy over various fields answered a study-specific questionnaire. In study II, 80 healthy volunteers were randomized to receive needling with verum acupuncture or non-penetrating telescopic sham needles by one of four physiotherapists. In study III, 215 patients were randomly allocated to verum (n=109) or non-penetrating telescopic sham (n=106) acupuncture during their entire radiotherapy period over abdominal or pelvic fields. The same 215 patients were also included in study IV. They were compared to 62 patients irradiated over abdominal or pelvic fields, selected from study I.Results: In study I, the weekly prevalence of nausea was 39 % in all radiotherapy-treated patients and 63 % in abdominal or pelvic irradiated patients. Age younger than 40 years and previous experience of nausea in other situations were characteristics associated with an increased risk for nausea. Of the 145 nauseous patients, 34 % considered their antiemetic treatment as insufficient. Patients with nausea reported lower level of quality of life compared to patients free from nausea. In study II, most individuals needled with verum (68 %) or sham (68 %) acupuncture could not identify needling type, and that blinding result varied from 55 to 80 % between the four therapists. In study III, nausea was experienced by 70 % (mean number of days=10.1) and 25 % vomited during the radiotherapy period. In the sham group 62 % experienced nausea (mean number of days=8.7) and 28 % vomited. Ninety five percent in the verum and 96 % in the sham group believed that the treatment had been effective for nausea. In both groups, 67 % experienced other positive effects, on relaxation, mood, sleep or pain-reduction, and 89 % were interested in receiving the treatment again. In study IV, the weekly prevalence of nausea and vomiting was 38 and 8 % in the verum group, 37 and 7 % in the sham group and 63 and 15 % in the standard care group. The nausea difference between the acupuncture and the standard care cohort was statistically significant, also after overall adjustments for potential confounding factors. The nausea intensity in the acupuncture cohort was lower compared to the standard care cohort (p=0.002). Patients who expected nausea had increased risk for nausea compared to patients who expected low risk for nausea (Relative risk 1.6).Conclusions and implications: Nausea was common during abdominal or pelvic field irradiation in patients receiving standard care. Verum acupuncture did not reduce emesis compared to sham acupuncture, while reduced emesis was seen in both patients treated with verum or sham acupuncture. Health-care professionals may consider identifying and treating patients with increased risk for nausea in advance. The telescopic sham needle was credible. Researchers may thus use and standardize the sham procedure in acupuncture control groups. The choice of performing acupuncture during radiotherapy cannot be based on arguments that the specific characters of verum acupuncture have effects on nausea. It is important to further study what components in the acupuncture procedures that produce the dramatic positive but yet not fully understood antiemetic effect, making it possible to use those components to further increase quality of care during radiotherapy.
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| 8. |
- Enblom, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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One third of patients with radiotherapy-induced nausea consider their antiemetic treatment insufficient
- 2009
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Ingår i: Supportive Care in Cancer. - : Springer. - 0941-4355 .- 1433-7339. ; 17:1, s. 23-32
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To describe the prevalence of nausea and vomiting during radiotherapy and to compare quality of life, psychological and functional status in patients experiencing or not experiencing nausea.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional selection of 368 cancer patients treated with radiotherapy answered a questionnaire (=93% answering rate) regarding nausea, vomiting, actual use of and interest in antiemetic treatment, quality of life and psychological and functional status during the preceding week of radiotherapy. Mean age was 60 years and 66% were women.Main results: Nausea was experienced by 39% ( 145) and vomiting by 7% ( 28) of patients in general, by 63% in abdominal or pelvic fields and by 48% in head/neck/brain fields. Abdominal/pelvic field (Relative risk (RR) 2.0), age <= 40 years (RR 1.9) and previous nausea in other situations (RR 1.8) implied an increased risk for nausea. Antiemetics were used by 17% and 78% were interested in or wanted more information about acupuncture treatment against nausea. Of the 145 nauseous patients only 25% felt that antiemetics had helped them and 34% would have liked additional treatment, although the nausea intensity was mild in 72%. The nauseous patients reported lower well-being and quality of life, lower satisfaction with aspects of daily living and more frequent anxiety and depressed mood than the patients without nausea.Conclusions: Of all patients undergoing radiotherapy, 39% experienced nausea and one third of them would have liked more treatment against the nausea. This study stresses the importance to identify and adequately treat patients with increased risk for nausea related to radiotherapy.
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| 9. |
- Enblom, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Pilot testing of methods for evaluation of acupuncture for emesis during radiotherapy: a randomised single subject experimental design
- 2011
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Ingår i: ACUPUNCTURE IN MEDICINE. - : The British Medical Acupuncture Society. - 0964-5284 .- 1759-9873. ; 29:2, s. 94-102
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Many acupuncture studies are of weak methodological quality, possibly due to lack of pilot testing. This pilot study tested design features, including test of feasibility, compliance to treatment and data collection, level of blinding success and the patients potential perceived effects of the treatment, in preparation for an efficacy study. Method A modified single subject experimental design was conducted. 10 cancer patients were randomised to verum penetrating acupuncture or non-penetrating sham needles for 30 min 2-3 times/week during radiotherapy over abdomen/pelvis. They answered test-retested emesis questions (r=0.527-1.0) covering nausea, vomiting, use of antiemetics, wellbeing and activities of daily living. Results Overall, the patients completed 98% of the 345 emesis-questionnaire days and 101 of the 115 offered treatments. All patients believed they received verum acupuncture. 10 patients experienced antiemetic effects, seven relaxation, five pain-reduction and five experienced sleep improvement. Two types of nausea questions showed absolute concordance (r=1.0) (n of observations=456). Nausea was experienced by one of five verum acupuncture treated patients (duration median 0% of the radiotherapy-days) and four of five sham acupuncture treated patients (duration median 24% of the radiotherapy-days). Patients experiencing nausea rated decreased wellbeing and performance of daily activities compared to patients free from nausea. Conclusions All patients were blinded, complied with verum/sham treatments and data-collection, and believed they had effects of the received treatment. The methods for verum/sham treatment and data collection may thus be used in an adequately powered randomised controlled study of the effect of acupuncture for radiotherapy-induced emesis.
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| 10. |
- Enblom, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Radiotherapy-induced Emesis in Patients Treated with Acupuncture, Sham Acupuncture or Standard Care : Effects of Unspecific Acupuncture Mechanisms
- 2010
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: It is not known if acupuncture or sham reduces radiotherapy-induced emesis more than standard care. Methods: Cancer patients were randomized to verum (skin penetrating) acupuncture (n = 109) in the alleged antiemetic acupuncture point PC6 or sham acupuncture (n = 106) performed with a telescopic nonpenetrating needle at a sham point during the whole radiotherapy period. The verum and sham treated patients were compared to a reference cohort receiving standard care only (n = 62). All patients received radiotherapy over abdominal or pelvic regions. The occurrence of emesis in each group was compared using replies documented in questionnaires after a mean dose of 27 Gray. Findings: Nausea (p=0.001) and vomiting were experienced during the preceding week by 37 and 7%, respectively, in the verum group, 38 and 7% in the sham group and 63 and 15% in the standard care group. The nausea intensity in the acupuncture cohort was lower (78% no nausea, 13% a little, 8% moderate, 1% much) compared to the standard care cohort (52% no nausea, 32% a little, 15% moderate, 2% much) (p=0.002). Almost all the verum and sham treated patients (95%) expected antiemetic effects from their treatment. Patients who expected nausea had increased risk for nausea compared to patients who expected low risk for nausea (relative risk 1.6; 95 % confidence interval 1.2-2.4). Interpretations: Both verum acupuncture and nonpenetrating sham acupuncture seem to reduce nausea and vomiting during radiotherapy, possibly by psychobiological mechanisms related to the extra care and expectancy.
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