The safety of acupuncture in children and adolescents with cancer therapy-related thrombocytopenia.

Autor: Ladas EJ, Rooney D, Taromina K, Ndao DH, Kelly KM, Ladas, Elena J, Rooney, Diane, Taromina, Katherine, Ndao, Deborah H, Kelly, Kara M
Zdroj: Supportive Care in Cancer; Nov2010, Vol. 18 Issue 11, p1487-1490, 4p
Abstrakt: Purpose: Acupuncture is frequently used to manage the side effects associated with cancer therapy. In acupuncture practice, the presence of thrombocytopenia is a relative contraindication to acupuncture use among patients with cancer. However, the safety of acupuncture in patients with cancer treatment-related thrombocytopenia has not been previously investigated.Methods: Medical records of 32 patients receiving acupuncture at an academic medical center with an established acupuncture program during treatment for cancer or during stem cell transplantation were reviewed.Results: Of 237 acupuncture sessions, 20%, 8%, and 19% of the sessions were administered to patients with severe, moderate, and mild thrombocytopenia, respectively. No bleeding side effects were observed.Conclusions: This retrospective case series provides descriptive data on the safety of acupuncture using Japanese J-type Seirin needles, with mild manual stimulation administered at 0.5-cun depth in patients with cancer with and without thrombocytopenia. Prospective trials are needed to confirm these initial observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index
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