Magnetic Acupressure in Reducing Pain in Cancer Patients Undergoing Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hematopoietic/Lymphoid Cancer; Pain

Treatments: Procedure: biopsy; Procedure: acupressure therapy; Procedure: pain therapy; Other: questionnaire administration; Procedure: bone marrow aspiration

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00670917

J07103

P30CA006973 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

NA_00013389 (Other Identifier)

CDR0000594676

Details and patient eligibility

About

RATIONALE: Acupressure may help relieve pain in cancer patients undergoing bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. It is not yet known whether magnetic acupressure is more effective than sham acupressure in reducing pain in cancer patients undergoing bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.

PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying magnetic acupressure to see how well it works compared with sham acupressure in reducing pain in cancer patients undergoing bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.

Full description

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• To compare pain rating in cancer patients undergoing bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB) treated with magnetic acupressure at bilateral large intestine 4 (LI 4) points vs sham acupressure at bilateral proximal fourth interosseus space of the hand.

Secondary

• To compare the duration of BMAB, patient's rating of the procedure, and patient's willingness to receive acupressure during subsequent BMABs.

OUTLINE: Patients are stratified according to the number of prior bone marrow aspirations and biopsies (BMAB) (0-1 vs ≥ 2) and type of procedure (bone marrow aspiration alone vs BMAB). Patients are randomized to one of two treatment arms.

• Arm I (acupressure): Patients receive acupressure at bilateral large intestine 4 (LI 4) points using Haci Magnetic Acupressure Suction Cups (MASC) during BMAB.
• Arm II (sham acupressure): Patients receive acupressure at bilateral proximal fourth interosseus space of the hand using the same size MASC as in arm I during BMAB.

Patients in both arms also receive analgesic and anxiolytic medications as determined by the acupressure operator and physician.

Patients complete a questionnaire before and after BMAB to assess pain experienced before and during BMAB and their attitude towards the procedure.

Enrollment: 83 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 120 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of cancer

• Scheduled to undergo a routine bone marrow aspiration with or without biopsy

  • No requirement for conscious sedation during the procedure

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior acupuncture or acupressure
• No prior participation in this study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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83 participants in 2 patient groups

L14 acupoint

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Procedure: acupressure therapy

Procedure: pain therapy

Other: questionnaire administration

Procedure: bone marrow aspiration

Procedure: biopsy

Sham Point

Sham Comparator group

Treatment:

Procedure: acupressure therapy

Procedure: pain therapy

Other: questionnaire administration

Procedure: bone marrow aspiration

Procedure: biopsy