Minchom, A., Punwani, R., Filshie, J., Bhosle, J., Nimako, K., Myerson, J., . . . O'Brien, M.E. (2016). A randomised study comparing the effectiveness of acupuncture or morphine versus the combination for the relief of dyspnoea in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma. European Journal of Cancer, 61, 102–110.
To investigate the use of acupuncture for the relief of dyspnea
Patients were randomized to acupuncture alone, morphine and acupuncture, or morphine alone groups. Patients in the acupuncture alone arm were provided morphine for rescue if needed. Oral morphine at 2.5 mg every four hours with breakthrough doses were given to the morphine group. In the combination group, patients received morphine before acupuncture. Study measures were conducted at 30 minutes, 90 minutes, 4 hours, and on days 2, 7, and 14.
Three-group, randomized trial
No difference existed between groups in VAS dyspnea scores from baseline to after the interventions. VAS scores for anxiety declined in the acupuncture-only group (p < 0.001) and the combination group (p < 0.001) compared to the morphine-only group by day 14. At 30 minutes, Borg Dyspnea Scale scores were lower in the groups receiving acupuncture compared to the morphine-only group (p = 0.003). Twenty-one percent of patients receiving acupuncture took morphine as a rescue medication.
Acupuncture may play a role in the management of dyspnea in patients with advanced lung cancer; however, additional research is needed to determine efficacy and determine how it is best provided.
Acupuncture may have some benefit in the management of dyspnea in patients with advanced disease; however, additional research in this area is needed.