Altern Ther Health Med. 2023 May;29(4):57-65.
Fatigue is the most common symptom experienced by elderly cancer patients. It negatively affects their daily functioning and quality of life. Integrative approaches such as acupressure can be used to treat cancer-related fatigue in elderly patients.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acupressure on the severity and level of cancer-related fatigue in elderly patients with cancer.
This study was carried out in two stages comprising a quantitative study (pretest, posttest, randomized controlled) and a qualitative study (in-depth interview).
The study was conducted at the hematology and medical oncology clinic in a university hospital in Turkey.
The study included 31 cancer patients aged 65 and over, who were experiencing cancer-related fatigue.
Participants were randomly assigned to the acupressure group (intervention group) or the control group. The intervention group was administered acupressure on three acupuncture points on the hands and legs (LI4, SP6, ST36) by caregivers or the patients themselves for three minutes twice daily, for a period of four weeks. The acupressure group was examined before and after the four-week intervention. The control group was similarly examined though no intervention was applied.
Data were collected using Patient Information Form, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS), and Acupressure Experience Patient Opinion Form.
In the follow-up examination of individuals in the acupressure group, there was a significant reduction in the severity and level of fatigue compared to the first examination. However, there was no significant difference between the first and second examination of individuals in the control group. The qualitative findings obtained during the in-depth interview support the quantitative findings of the study.
Acupressure can be recommended as an integrative treatment for cancer-related fatigue because it is effective, easy to use, tolerable and does not cause serious side effects.
疲劳是老年癌症患者最常见的症状。它会对他们的日常功能和生活质量产生负面影响。 例如，按压穴位等综合方法可用于治疗老年癌症患者的癌因性疲劳。
本研究旨在探讨按压穴位对老年癌症患者癌因性疲劳严重程度和水平的影响。
本研究分两个阶段进行，包括一项定量研究（前测、后测、随机对照）和一项定性研究（深入访谈）。
该研究在土耳其一所大学医院的血液科和肿瘤内科诊所进行。
研究纳入了 31 名年龄在 65 岁及以上、正在经历癌因性疲劳的癌症患者。
参与者被随机分配到按压穴位组（干预组）或对照组。干预组由护理人员或患者本人对双手和双腿上的三个穴位（LI4、SP6、ST36）进行按压，每天两次，每次三分钟，持续四周。干预组在四周干预前后进行检查。对照组也进行了同样的检查，但没有进行干预。
使用患者信息表、视觉模拟量表（VAS）、派珀疲劳量表（PFS）和按压穴位患者意见表收集数据。
在按压穴位组的个体随访检查中，与第一次检查相比，疲劳的严重程度和水平显著降低。然而，对照组个体在第一次和第二次检查之间没有显著差异。深入访谈中获得的定性结果支持研究的定量结果。
按压穴位可以作为一种治疗癌因性疲劳的综合治疗方法，因为它有效、易于使用、耐受良好，且不会引起严重的副作用。
