title: The efficacy of combination of ondansetron and aprepitant on preventing the radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depending on the site of irradiation, about 40-80% of patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) will experience nausea and/or vomiting. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of ondansetronas as a single agent and with a combination to aprepitant on preventing RT-induced nausea and vomiting (RINV).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a clinical randomized controlled trial (from September 2010 to September 2011), conducted in Radiation Oncology Department of Seyed-al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 40 abdominopelvic malignancies cancer patients were allocated into two aliquots using block randomization of size. Patients in the first group (group I) received ondansetron alone while those patients in the remaining group (group II) received ondansetron and aprepitant. Then, developing of RINV and its severity and benefit of adding aprepitant to ondansetron, in comparison with ondansetron as a single drug therapy were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of the patients in group I was 61.15 ± 12.27 years while in group II it was 50.1 ± 13.27 years. No statistically significant gender differences were found between the two groups. In patients treated with ondansetron single drug therapy (group I), frequency and grade of RINV were significantly more than the group treated simultaneously by aprepitant and ondansetron (group II) (odds ratio [OR] = 21.2; P < 0.01). Compared with RT alone, the patients whom underwent RT along with chemotherapy showed lower probability of experiencing RINV (OR = 0.13; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicated a significant superiority of combination of ondansetron and aprepitant in management of RINV, in patients undergoing RT, compared to ondansetron as a single agent therapy. More accurate follow-up studies are needed for the evaluation of the efficacy of ondansetron with combination to aprepitant on preventing the RINV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Emami
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Simin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hematti
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Masoud
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Saeidian
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Awat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taheri
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Pourya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adeli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran.
authors.forename: Golshan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mahmoudi
keywords: Aprepitant; nausea and vomiting; ondanseton; radiotherapy; radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting