title: The effects of body position on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: a single-blind randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chemotherapy is the cornerstone of cancer treatment; however, alongside therapeutic effects, nausea and vomiting are two common complications of chemotherapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of body position on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. We recruited a convenience sample of 79 patients and randomly allocated them to either experimental or control groups. Patients in the control group received chemotherapy in supine position while the experimental group received chemotherapy in semi-Fowler's position. All patients were assessed for the severity, duration, and frequency of nausea and vomiting episodes every three hours up to 24 hours, ie, in nine time-points. Study data was analyzed by SPSS v. 16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The severity, duration, and frequency of nausea and the severity and frequency of vomiting episodes in the control group differed significantly across the nine measurement time-points (P < 0.001). In the experimental group, the severity (P = 0.254) and frequency of nausea (P = 0.002) episodes as well as the frequency of vomiting (P = 0.008) episodes differed significantly across the measurement time-points. Moreover, the study groups differed significantly across the measurement time-point in terms of the severity (P < 0.001), duration (P < 0.001), and frequency of nausea (P = 0.002) and the severity (P < 0.001) and frequency (P < 0.001) of vomiting episodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to supine position, semi-Fowler's position is more effective in relieving chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
authors: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Fathi
authors: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Alireza
authors: A
authors: Nikbakht Nasrabadi
authors: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, IR Iran.
authors: Sina
authors: S
authors: Valiee
keywords: Cancer; Nausea; Nursing; Vomiting