OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical effects of acupressure at Neiguan (PC 6) combined with press needles for prevention of gastroscopy-induced nausea and vomiting.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty patients who were scheduled to gastroscopy for the first time were randomly assigned into an acupressure group and a combined treatment group, 60 cases in each one.The patients in the two groups were treated with acupressure at Neiguan (PC 6) 15 min before gastroscopy; moreover, the patients in the combined treatment group were additionally treated with press needles at Neiguan (PC 6) until the end of gastroscopy. The time of gastroscopy-induced nausea and vomiting, VAS-based nausea and vomiting scale and the state-trait anxiety inventory were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe time of gastroscopy-induced nausea and vomiting in the combined treatment group was lower than that in the acupressure group (<0.05); the score of VAS-based nausea and vomiting scale in the combined treatment group was lower than that in the acupressure group (<0.05); the state-trait anxiety inventory was not significantly different between the two groups, before and after gastroscopy (all>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAcupressure at Neiguan (PC 6) combined with press needles can relieve gastroscopy-induced nausea and vomiting without increasing anxiety.