title: Wrist-ankle acupuncture and ginger moxibustion for preventing gastrointestinal reactions to chemotherapy: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion against gastrointestinal tract reactions (nausea, vomiting, and constipation) to chemotherapy in cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 60 patients with gynecological tumors treated by chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups. The treatment group (30 cases) underwent wrist-ankle acupuncture and ginger moxibustion, whereas tropisetron hydrochloride and dexamethasone were intravenously administered to the control group (30 cases) during chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of nausea in the treatment group was significantly less than that of the control group from the 2nd to the 5th day of chemotherapy (P<0.01). The anti-emetic effect in the treatment group was significantly better than that in the control group on the 3rd day of therapy (P<0.05). The incidence rate of constipation was significantly lower in the treatment group than that in the control group (P<0.01). Furthermore, the cost of therapy for the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). Only 1 patient manifested a post-acupuncture side effect in the form of subcutaneous blood stasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion could prevent gastrointestinal tract reactions to chemotherapy in cancer patients. In addition, the proposed method had fewer side effects, lower cost, and less risk.
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Yi-qun
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Hui-juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Dong-xia
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Dan-ying
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Ling-ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Li-hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China. chqyu81@163.com.
authors.forename: Chao-qin
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009071:Moxibustion / Q000009:adverse effects; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014953:Wrist / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: gastrointestinal tract reaction; ginger moxibustion; gynecological tumors; wrist-ankle acupuncture