title: Issues in the measurement of nausea.
abstract: Measurement of nausea is essential for the evaluation of efficacy of antiemetic treatment. Frequency, duration and intensity of nausea should be assessed in all trials. Three different methods: a discrete scale (DS), a visual analogue scale (VAS) and a continuous chromatic analogue scale (ACCS) of measuring nausea and four different dimensions maximal intensity, (MI); entity, (E); duration, (D) and quantity, (Q) were evaluated in 849 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. A substantial agreement between the different scales was found and no advantage was shown for using an analogue (VAS) rather than a discrete (DS) scale. There was a trend towards increasing sensitivity in detecting differences as the dimension of nausea used encompassed wider aspects of this symptom (Q more sensitive than E more sensitive than MI).
authors: Istituto Clinica Medica 1, Universita di Perugia, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Del Favero
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Tonato
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Roila
mesh_terms: D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001699:Biometry; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009325:Nausea / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012107:Research Design; D014839:Vomiting / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000932:Antiemetics