Antiemetic treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea in ovarian carcinoma patients.

In a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial the combination betamethasone-dixyrazine was compared with high-dose metoclopramide as antiemetic treatment during combination chemotherapy (melphalan-doxorubicin and cisplatin) of ovarian carcinoma. Of 40 evaluable patients, 15 (38%) had previous experience with chemotherapy. Efficacy and side effects were recorded on patient and nurse questionnaires using the visual analog scale. Nausea and vomiting were prevented in 55% of the patients treated with melphalan-doxorubicin (Day 1) and in 36% of the patients treated with cisplatin (Day 2). Betamethasone-dixyrazine was superior to high-dose metoclopramide and prevented nausea in 76% compared to 32% during melphalan-doxorubicin therapy. Akathisia was noted in 21% and acute dystonic reactions in 2.6% during metoclopramide treatment but not in any case during betamethasone-dixyrazine therapy.