title: The analgesic effect of magnetic acupressure in cancer patients undergoing bone marrow aspiration and biopsy: a randomized, blinded, controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB) is a frequently performed and painful procedure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of magnetic acupressure in reducing pain in cancer patients undergoing BMAB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cancer patients without previous acupuncture or acupressure experience were stratified by the number of prior BMAB and randomized to having magnetic acupressure delivered to either the large intestine 4 (LI4) acupoint or a sham site. The primary study endpoint was the patient's pain intensity rating during the procedure using a visual analogue scale (VAS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-seven eligible patients received magnetic acupressure: 37 were randomized to treatment at the LI4 site arm and 40 at the designated sham site arm. There was no significant difference between the median pain scores of patients treated at the LI4 site and the sham site (P=0.87). However, severe pain (VAS ≥ 7) was reported in only one patient (2.7%) treated at the LI4 site compared with eight patients (20%) at the sham site (P=0.03). No patients experienced significant magnetic acupressure-related toxicities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Magnetic acupressure at the LI4 acupoint requires minimal training and expense and is well tolerated. Although its use did not significantly reduce median pain scores in patients undergoing BMAB, it does appear to reduce the proportion of patients with severe pain associated with this invasive procedure.
authors.affiliation: The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21212, USA. tingbao@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Xiaobu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nesbit
authors.forename: Stuart A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Grossman
mesh_terms: D019050:Acupressure / Q000379:methods*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome