Treish, I., Shord, S., Valgus, J., Harvey, D., Nagy, J., Stegal, J., & Lindley, C. (2003). Randomized double-blind study of the Reliefband as an adjunct to standard antiemetics in patients receiving moderately-high to highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Supportive Care in Cancer, 11, 516-521.
Adult cancer patients receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) or highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) were randomized to receive the active ReliefBand® or an inactive device. All patients received scheduled and as-needed antiemetics. Patients wore devices continuously for five days, except during showering and hand washing.
All participants in this single-site study were inpatients at the University of North Carolina Hospitals.
The study design was a randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Patients wearing the ReliefBand experienced less vomiting, retching, and nausea severity over the five-day period than patients wearing the inactive device. Vomiting was statistically and significantly reduced during the delayed period, and nausea was significantly reduced during the acute and delayed periods. Functional Living Index Emesis scores did not differ between the two groups.