9 Scientific Research
in the control groups. Zhou et al, Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie
He Za Zhi 1993
A Taiwanese prospective, randomised, controlled trial (n120)
investigated the effect of P-6acupoint injection with 0.2 ml 50%
glucose in water compared to intravenous injection of 20 micro-
grams/kg droperidol for the prevention of vomiting after
gynaecological laparoscopy. A non-controlled comparison-
group received no treatment at all. The incidence of vomiting
significantly decreased in both the P-6 group and the droperidol
group. Yang et al, Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 1993
An Italian prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-
blinded cross-over study (n60) investigated the effect of unilat-
eral and bilateral acupressure at P-6for the treatment of morning
sicknesscompared to acupressure at a sham point. Compared to
the placebo group both unilateral and bilateral acupressure at P-6
significantly reduced the frequency of morning sickness from 60%
to 30%. De Aloysio et al, Obstet Gynecol 1992
A US ‘n of 1’ trial investigated the effect of P-6wristbands on
nausea and vomiting in hospice patients(n6). There were
no significant differences between the verum group, the placebo
group and the group without wristbands. Brown et al, Am J
Hosp Palliat Care 1992
A Canadian prospective, randomised, controlled, double-blinded
trial (n90) investigated the effect of acupuncture at P-6, admin-
istered after induction of anaesthesia, on the frequency of nausea
and vomiting after strabismus surgery in children. The control
group received droperidol. There was no significant difference
between the two groups. Yentis et al, Can J Anaesth 1992
A Canadian prospective, randomised, controlled, single-blinded
trial (n45) investigated the effect of acupuncture at P-6
administered after induction of anaesthesia on the frequency of
nausea and vomiting after tonsillectomy in children. There
was no significant difference between the verum group and the
untreated control group. Yentis et al, Br J Anaesth 1991
A US prospective, randomised, controlled, double-blinded trial
(n66) investigated the effect of acupuncture at P-6adminis-
tered after induction of anaesthesia on the frequency of nausea
and vomiting after strabismus surgery in children. There was
no significant difference between the treatment group and
placebo group. Lewis et al, Br J Anaesth 1991
An Irish case study (n100) reports that TENS at P-6reduced
chemotherapy-induced nauseaby 75%. Dundee et al, J R Soc
Med 1991
A Swedish prospective, randomised, controlled cross-over study
(n21) investigated the effect of acupuncture at P-6, HE-5,
BL-15, BL-20and ST-36on the frequency of angina pectoris
(AP) and the performance before onset of pain during exercise
in patients suffering from coronary heart disease. The frequency
of AP attacks decreased significantly from 11 to 6 attacks per
week. Accordingly, the performance before onset of pain during
exercise increased significantly from 82 W to 94 W. Richter
et al, Eur Heart J 1991
A Chinese prospective, randomised, non-blinded, controlled
trial (n64) investigated the effect of a 3 ml normal salineinjection into P-6on the incidence of postoperative vomiting.
Compared to the control group, vomiting was significantly
reduced (2 vs 10 patients) in the treatment group. Shyr et al, Ma
Zui Xue Za Zhi 1990
A British prospective, randomised, controlled experimental trial
(n18) compared the effectiveness of acupressure bands at
P-6on motion sicknessto a placebo and 0.6 mg scopolamine.
Only the subjects taking scopolamine showed a significant
increase in tolerance to a laboratory nauseogenic cross-coupled
motion challenge. Bruce et al, Aviat Space Environ Med 1990
A Taiwanese prospective, randomised, controlled trial (n100)
compared the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) and TENS at
P-6on nausea and vomiting after laparoscopy. Compared to
the control group (44%), nausea was significantly reduced in the
EA and perchlorperazine group (12% each), but not in the TENS
group (36%). Ho et al, Anaesthesia 1990
A British prospective, randomised, controlled trial (n162)
compared the effect of acupressure wristbands at P-6on postop-
erative nausea and vomitingin the recovery room with conven-
tional anti-emetic treatment. Acupressure at P-6 significantly
reduced the intensity of the nausea. The reduced anti-emetic
requirement and the reduced incidence of vomiting were not sta-
tistically significant. Barsoum et al, J R Soc Med 1990
A Chinese prospective, randomised, controlled trial (n40) com-
pared the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) at L.I.-4and P-6on
intra-operative analgesiain patients undergoing thyroidectomy
with superficial cervical plexus block. There was no significant
difference between the two groups. Ouyang et al, Zhen Ci Yan
Jiu 1990
An Irish prospective, randomised, sham-controlled, single-
blinded trial investigated the effect of pre-operative electro-
acupuncture and acupuncture at P-6on the frequency of nausea
and vomiting after minor gynaecological surgerycompared
to sham acupuncture. The frequency of nausea and vomiting was
significantly reduced in the P-6-group only. Dundee et al, Br J
Anaesth 1989
A US prospective, randomised, controlled cross-over study
(n16) investigated the efficacy of acupressure wristbands at
P-6on morning sickness. Use of the acupressure wristbands
significantly relieved morning sickness and also significantly
reduced anxiety, depression and behavioural dysfunction. Hyde,
J Nurse Midwifery 1989
An Irish prospective, randomised, sham-controlled cross-over
study (n10) investigated the effect of electro-acupuncture on
P-6on chemotherapy-induced nausea. In the verum group
sickness was either completely absent or reduced considerably
in 97% of patients and no side effects were encountered. The
same research team confirmed these results in a larger-scale case
study (n105). Dundee et al, J R Soc Med 1988
An Irish prospective, randomised, sham-controlled trial
(n350) compared the effect of acupressure at P-6 on morn-
ing sicknessto sham acupressure and a control group. Only acu-
pressure at P-6 significantly relieved the symptoms of morning
sickness. Dundee et al, J R Soc Med 1988