Factors that influence the antiemetic activity of metoclopramide to cisplatin based chemotherapy

Some clinical parameters play a role in developing effective antiemetic therapy. In the present study, 310 patients entered and 301 were evaluable. They received cisplatin based combination chemotherapy (100 mg/m2), with antiemetic therapy based in metoclopramide, at a standard dose and schedule (2 mg/kg in 5 doses). Patient characteristics such as age, sex, performance status (Karnofsky), site of primary tumor, weight loss >15%, previous chemotherapy, previous radiotherapy, history of vomiting during pregnancy, additional drugs (dexamethasone, alprazolam), in the antiemetic regimen were included in the evaluation. We also studied the manifestation of anxiety and depression and the presence of psychosocial problems related to therapy, evaluated them with specific psychological indexes modified for our study. We evaluated incidence of vomiting, retches, and nausea, with several scales. We distinguished three groups of factors influencing nausea and vomiting. Factors that predicted for increased nausea and vomiting was gender (women), stress and age (younger patients experienced more prolonged duration and higher grades of nausea). The addition of alprazolam (a sedative drug) and dexamethasone, was associated with decreased incidence of nausea and vomiting. The weight loss (increased nausea and decreased vomiting control according to Gralla's scale). Previous chemotherapy decreased the number of patients without nausea and vomiting control according to Gralla's scale. Patients with previous radiotherapy presented an increased grade of nausea. Patients with head and neck cancer presented less nausea with shorter duration, less frequent episodes of vomiting. Patients with ovarian cancer presented increased mean number of retches. In conclusion, despite difficulties in assessing nausea and vomiting among clinical trials, several factors, especially stress, gender, weight loss, additional drugs (corticosteroids and sedatives) may play an important role in modulating the antiemetic response.