Positive Health Online

Abstract

LUA and COLLEAGUES, 1. Community Health Research Cluster, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Kampus Gong Badak, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia. Electronic address: peilinlua@unisza.edu.my; 2. Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) , Kampus Gong Badak, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; 3. Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuantan Campus, 25710 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia conducted a single-blind, controlled randomized cross-over study to assess the efficacy of inhaled ginger aromatherapy on nausea, vomiting and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in chemotherapy breast cancer patients.

Background

Methodology

Design: Single-blind, controlled, randomized cross-over study. Patients received 5-day aromatherapy treatment using either ginger essential oil or fragrance-matched artificial placebo (ginger fragrance oil) which was instilled in a necklace in an order dictated by the treatment group sequence. Setting: Two oncology clinics in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Main Outcome Measures: VAS nausea score, frequency of vomiting and HRQoL profile (EORTC QLQ-C30 scores).

Results

Sixty female patients completed the study (age=47.3±9.26 years; Malay=98.3%; on highly emetogenic chemotherapy=86.7%). The VAS nausea score was significantly lower after ginger essential oil inhalation compared to placebo during acute phase (P=0.040) but not sustained for overall treatment effect (treatment effect: F=1.82, P=0.183; time effect: F=43.98, P<0.001; treatment×time effect: F=2.04; P=0.102). Similarly, there was no significant effect of aromatherapy on vomiting [F(1, 58)=0.29, P=0.594]. However, a statistically significant change from baseline for global health status (P<0.001) was detected after ginger essential oil inhalation. A clinically relevant 10 points improvement on role functioning (P=0.002) and appetite loss (P<0.001) were also documented while patients were on ginger essential oil.

Conclusion

At present time, the evidence derived from this study is not sufficiently convincing that inhaled ginger aromatherapy is an effective complementary therapy for CINV. The findings for HRQoL were however encouraging with significant improvement in several domains.

References

Lua PL1, Salihah N2, Mazlan N3. Effects of inhaled ginger aromatherapy on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and health-related quality of life in women with breast cancer. Complement Ther Med.; 23(3):396-404. Jun 2015. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2015.03.009. Epub Apr 21 2015.