Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of Inhalation Aromatherapy for Patients Undergoing Autologous Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT)

N/AEnrolling By InvitationNCT07209501

Singapore General Hospital30 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether aromatherapy inhaler sticks can reduce nausea and vomiting in patients receiving chemotherapy as part of their stem cell transplant treatment. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can aromatherapy inhaler sticks be practically used by patients undergoing stem cell transplant (feasibility)? * Do patients find aromatherapy inhaler sticks acceptable to use during their treatment? * How effective are aromatherapy inhaler sticks at reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting? * What are patients' experiences when using aromatherapy during stem cell transplant? Researchers will compare patients using aromatherapy inhaler sticks with essential oils to patients using inhaler sticks with only jojoba oil (placebo) to see if the essential oils provide additional benefits for reducing nausea and vomiting. Participants will: * Use their assigned inhaler stick every four hours when awake and whenever they feel nauseous * Hold the inhaler stick a finger's length from their nostrils and inhale through one nostril at a time * Use the inhaler stick for no more than 5 minutes per session * Begin using the inhaler on the day of chemotherapy and continue until five days after chemotherapy completion (total of six days) * Receive standard care for nausea and vomiting alongside the inhaler stick * Complete study journals to record their experiences This is a single-blinded study, meaning participants will not know whether they received the aromatherapy or placebo inhaler stick.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV)

Interventions

Aromatherapy inhalerOTHER

Participants in the intervention group will receive inhalation therapy via an aromatherapy inhaler stick\*, on top of standard care. Participants will be instructed to use the inhaler stick every four hours when they are awake, and whenever they feel nauseous, by holding the inhaler stick a finger's length away from their nostrils and inhaling through one nostril at a time. Each inhaler administration should not last more than 5 minutes. Participants will commence using the inhaler stick on the day of chemotherapy, until five days after the completion of chemotherapy (total of six days). Given the subjective nature of scents, participants in the intervention group will be given a choice between two therapeutic aroma blends - N1 and N2 - before commencing the study. This approach aims to minimize the risk of negative associations with a particular scent and enhance participant adherence to the intervention.

Aromatherapy inhaler (placebo)OTHER

Participants in the control group will receive the placebo intervention in addition to standard care. They will be provided with an identical aromatherapy inhaler stick infused solely with jojoba oil. Jojoba oil, primarily used as a carrier oil for dilution, has littleto- no scent and no known therapeutic or anxiolytic effects when inhaled.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Recruitment Rate

Percentage of eligible patients who consent to join the study will be measured to evaluate the feasibility of using inhalation aromatherapy to reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) for patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT)