Use of Aromatherapy to Reduce Symptom Burden

Use of Aromatherapy to Reduce Symptom Burden in Patients Receiving Stem Cell Transplantation

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of inhaled aromatherapy on symptoms of nausea/vomiting and anxiety in patients who have received a stem cell transplant. Aromatherapy involves essential oils from aromatic plants that can be absorbed into the body in different ways. Our study will be using inhaled aromatherapy, which has been found helpful for symptoms such as nausea/vomiting and anxiety.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting; Anxiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Essential oils; Drug: Placebo

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of aromatherapy on symptoms of chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and retching (CINVR) and anxiety for patients hospitalized for hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The primary aim will be to evaluate the effect of inhaled aromatherapy on CINVR and anxiety symptoms compared to control for 48 hours. Secondary aims include (1) Evaluating patient satisfaction with aromatherapy at completion of study; (2) Evaluating the antiemetic administration between intervention and control groups during the 48-hour intervention time span; (3) Evaluating the number and incidence of unit falls pre and post intervention.

This study will be a randomized controlled trial. Prior to randomization, participants will be asked which symptom, nausea/vomiting or anxiety, is most burdensome for them. Participants will be stratified based on their identified symptom of burden (nausea/vomiting or anxiety) and will then be randomized to either the intervention or control group, with a target of 50 participants in the nausea/vomiting symptom group (25 intervention and 25 control) and 50 participants in the anxiety symptom group (25 intervention and 25 control). Intervention and control groups will receive Wyndmere Naturals, Inc. aromatherapy patches and a symptom diary. Participants in the intervention group indicating that nausea/vomiting is the primary symptom of concern will receive peppermint inhaled aromatherapy patches (or mandarin if peppermint intolerance indicted). Participants in the intervention group indicating that anxiety is the primary symptoms of concern with receive lavender inhaled aromatherapy patches. The control group will receive non-scented aromatherapy patches (i.e., blank hydrogel adhesive patches without essential oil infusion), so it will not be feasible to blind participants to group assignment. The control group will have the same interactions with the study team as the intervention group and will complete patch changes and a symptom diary to serve as an attention control.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 93
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Indiana
    • Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46202
      • Indiana University Health, University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients from a bone marrow transplant unit or hematology/oncology unit within an adult academic health center in the Midwest.
• Adult stem cell transplant inpatients that have received autologous or allogeneic transplant and are actively going through therapy.
• Patients must also be alert and oriented, able to interact with the study team, and able to read and write English.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Under 18 years of age
• Intubation
• Medical sedation
• Receipt of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells
• History of atrial fibrillation
• History of seizures/epilepsy
• Adhesive allergy or sensitivity
• Currently pregnant
• Prisoner

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention - nausea/vomiting; Patients indicating that nausea/vomiting is their primary symptom of concern and are randomized to receive intervention will be allocated to the intervention - nausea/vomiting arm. This arm will receive peppermint inhaled aromatherapy patches (or mandarin as an alternative if they have a peppermint sensitivity).	Drug: Essential oils; Participants will receive Wyndmere Naturals, Inc. aromatherapy patches. The hydrogel adhesive patches are infused with essential oil for inhaled aromatherapy treatment. The aromatherapy patches provide an occlusive barrier that is hypoallergenic, allowing essential oils to be inhaled without coming in direct contact with the skin. Participants indicating nausea/vomiting is their symptom of concern will receive peppermint aromatherapy patches (or mandarin if peppermint sensitivity). Participants indicating anxiety is their symptom of concern will receive lavender aromatherapy patches.
Experimental: Intervention - anxiety; Patients indicating that anxiety is their primary symptom of concern and are randomized to receive intervention will be allocated to the intervention - anxiety arm. This arm will receive lavender inhaled aromatherapy patches.	Drug: Essential oils; Participants will receive Wyndmere Naturals, Inc. aromatherapy patches. The hydrogel adhesive patches are infused with essential oil for inhaled aromatherapy treatment. The aromatherapy patches provide an occlusive barrier that is hypoallergenic, allowing essential oils to be inhaled without coming in direct contact with the skin. Participants indicating nausea/vomiting is their symptom of concern will receive peppermint aromatherapy patches (or mandarin if peppermint sensitivity). Participants indicating anxiety is their symptom of concern will receive lavender aromatherapy patches.
Placebo Comparator: Control - nausea/vomiting; Patients indicating that nausea/vomiting is their primary symptom of concern and are randomized to receive control will be allocated to the control - nausea/vomiting arm. This arm will receive blank (no essential oil infusion) aromatherapy patches.	Drug: Placebo; Patients assigned to either control group (nausea/vomiting or anxiety) will receive Wyndmere Naturals non-scented patches (i.e., blank hydrogel adhesive patches without essential oil infusion).
Placebo Comparator: Control - anxiety; Patients indicating that anxiety is their primary symptom of concern and are randomized to receive control will be allocated to the control - anxiety arm. This arm will receive blank (no essential oil infusion) aromatherapy patches.	Drug: Placebo; Patients assigned to either control group (nausea/vomiting or anxiety) will receive Wyndmere Naturals non-scented patches (i.e., blank hydrogel adhesive patches without essential oil infusion).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting and retching symptoms	Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting and Retching (INVR)	baseline (0 hours) and post-intervention (48 hours)
Change in anxiety symptoms	shortened version of Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory (SAI)	baseline (0 hours) and post-intervention (48 hours)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Patient satisfaction	Aromatherapy satisfaction questionnaire	post-intervention (48 hours)
Antiemetic administration	Antiemetic medication (dose, route, frequency) administration documented in the medical record	48 hour intervention timeframe
Inpatient falls	Number and incidence of unit falls	baseline (12 months prior to intervention) and during intervention (12 months during study)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Indiana University
• Collaborators: Indiana University Health

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 7, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 22, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): June 22, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 3, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 11, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): February 22, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 19, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 18, 2023
• Last Verified: July 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: anxiety; aromatherapy; stem cell transplant; chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Nausea; Vomiting
• Other Study ID Numbers: 11973

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No