Electric Stimulation on Nausea and Vomit Chemotherapy Induced

Federal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre84 enrolled

Overview

Chemotherapy induces nausea and vomit for some large patients. But, some chemotherapy protocol has a high indices of the incidence as observed in a combination of Anthracycline and Cyclophosphamide (AC). To prevent this symptoms, some medication can be used as Ondansetron. By other hands, the traditional acupuncture on Chinese Medicine have been used a PC6 point to avoid nausea and vomit. More recently, a transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) also has been used for this application. Our study will test the TENS applied on PC6 point with two different frequencies (high and low) to evaluated the nausea and vomit inhibition effects.

We will enroll 84 women that being starts a chemotherapy protocol with a Anthracycline and Cyclophosphamide (AC) as a part of breast cancer treatment. All volunteers will be submitted a 30 minutes TENS prior to chemotherapy administration. Three different TENS treatment will be test: 1) placebo; 2) high frequency and 3) low frequency. The self-adhesive electrodes will be positioned in the same position for all different TENS treatment (opposite arm to the chemotherapy infusion). The eletctrodes will be positioned as follows: the first electrode at the PC6 point which is located proximal to the flexion fold of the wrist in the middle of the anterior face of the forearm, between the tendons of the long palmar and radial flexor muscles of the carpus and the second electrode at any point in the hand. After that, all volunteers will receipt a formulary to self-complete a nausea and vomit symptoms record during the next 24 hours. Number of incidence and magnitude of the symptoms will express the accumulated indices the occurrence and severity of the symptoms, as further describe in this protocol.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Interventions

Placebo GroupDEVICE

In this group, the TENS will be administered by 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy administration with the stander electrodes positions, in the opposite arm of the chemotherapy infusion, but in this group the electrical stimulation will be performed just by 10 seconds and turn off for all reminiscent time of the protocol.

Low Frequency GroupDEVICE

In this group the TENS will be administered by 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy administration with the stander electrodes positions, in the arm opposite the chemotherapy infusion. The electrical stimulation will be continued for all time secession. The electrical pulse parameters will be setting according describe early.

High Frequency GroupDEVICE

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Having breast cancer diagnosed through anatomopathological investigation; * Indication of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy treatment with the combination of anthracycline and cyclophosphamide associated with Ondasetron used as a routine of the Santa Rita Hospital chemotherapy service; * Present Karnofsky score (KPS) higher than 70 points; * Being female; * Be between 18 and 65 years of age and be able to participate in outpatient chemotherapy. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with breast cancer treated with chemotherapeutic regimens other than anthracycline and cyclophosphamide; * Inability to report nausea and vomiting due to neurological changes, difficulty understanding and / or lack of caregivers that may contribute to the completion of the report; * Be submitted to radiation therapy concomitant with chemotherapy; * Presence of gastrointestinal and cerebral metastases; * Presence of cardiac pacemaker; * Presence of active skin infection in PC6; * Nausea and vomiting caused by electrolyte disturbances or intestinal; * Presence of intra-cranial hypertension.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Cumulative index of nausea

The 24-hour follow-up record of symptoms of nausea and vomiting will be performed using a form developed from the MASEM anti-emetic instrument (MAT), especially for the present study. This form includes a diary to record emetic events within 24 hours after the administration of chemotherapy. Thus, we will evaluate: the cumulative index of nausea and vomiting over 24 hours after the infusion of the first cycle of high grade emetic chemotherapy.Participants will be instructed to fill out the instrument and take the questionnaire home, bringing it back to the investigators when they return to the outpatient clinic for another round of chemotherapy.

Time frame: Cumulative index of nausea in the first 24 hours after an infusion of chemotherapy.

Secondary Outcomes

Cumulative index of episodes of vomiting

Time frame: Cumulative index of episodes of vomiting in the first 24 hours after an infusion of chemotherapy.

Intensity of nausea symptoms

As for the intensity of nausea, a Visual Analog Scale will be used to help measure the intensity of each patient. The instrument will question the patient about the degree of nausea and it will provide an auto report with a note that can vary from 0 to 10, with note 0 representing absence of the symptom while note 10 represents the most intense sensation experienced by the patient . Participants will be instructed to fill out the instrument and take the questionnaire home, bringing it back to the investigators when they return to the outpatient clinic for another round of chemotherapy.

Time frame: Intensity of the symptom of nausea within the first 24 hours after infusion of chemotherapy.

Severity of vomiting episodes

The severity assessment of vomiting episodes includes a diary to record the number of episodes of vomiting, which may be small, medium or large. Thus, we will assess the severity of vomiting over 24 hours after the infusion of the first cycle of high grade emetic chemotherapy. Participants will be instructed to complete the instrument and take the questionnaire home, bringing it back to the investigators. When they return to the clinic for another round of chemotherapy.

Time frame: Severity of vomiting episodes within the first 24 hours after chemotherapy infusion.

Need for rescue antiemetic

The 24-hour follow-up record of symptoms of nausea and vomiting will be performed using a form developed from the MASEM anti-emetic instrument (MAT), especially for the present study. This form includes a diary to record emetic events within 24 hours after the administration of chemotherapy. Thus, we will evaluate: the cumulative index of nausea and vomiting over 24 hours after the infusion of the first cycle of emetic high-grade chemotherapy, the volume of vomiting in each episode and the need for rescue antiemetics will also be recorded. Will be instructed to fill out the instrument and take the questionnaire home, bringing it back to the researchers when they return to the clinic for their second course of chemotherapy.

Time frame: Need for rescue antiemetic within the first 24 hours after chemotherapy infusion

Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale

At home and at the end of 24 hours, will be asked to fill in the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale where symptoms of pain, tiredness, drowsiness, appetite, nausea, shortness of breath, depression, anxiety and well-being will be evaluated, Based on the Brazilian Consensus on Nausea and Vomiting. It is a scale where the patient provides an auto-report with a note that can vary from 0 to 10, with note 0 representing absence of the symptom while note 10 represents the most intense sensation experienced by the patient.

Time frame: At the end of 24 hours, you will be asked to complete the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale