Trial reportBMJ open2019
Methotrimeprazine versus haloperidol in palliative care patients with cancer-related nausea: a randomised, double-blind controlled trial.
Trial report in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Guideline for Medication Management of Distressing Symptoms in Older Patients Receiving End-of-Life Palliative Care.Journal of evidence-based medicine · 2026Guideline
- MASCC antiemetics in advanced cancer updated guideline.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2021Guideline
- Fixed-Dose Netupitant and Palonosetron for Chronic Nausea in Cancer Patients: A Double-Blind, Placebo Run-in Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.Journal of pain and symptom management · 2021Trial
- Essential medications in palliative care: an updated survey of Australian and New Zealand medical practitioners practising palliative care.Internal medicine journal · 2026Article
- Asenapine versus olanzapine for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer: A retrospective study.Neuropsychopharmacology reports · 2024Article
- Novel therapies for nausea and vomiting in advanced illness and supportive cancer care.Palliative care and social practice · 2024Review
- Drug repositioning in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using gene co-expression and drug-gene interaction networks analysis.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Rational prescribing in community palliative care.Australian prescriber · 2021Review
- The Management of Nausea and Vomiting Not Related to Anticancer Therapy in Patients with Cancer.Current treatment options in oncology · 2021Review
- The Benefits of Olanzapine in Palliating Symptoms.Current treatment options in oncology · 2020Review
- Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Prophylactic Use of Metoclopramide and Haloperidol on Morphine-induced Nausea and Vomiting in Cancer Patients: A Comparative, Randomised, Prospective Study.Indian journal of palliative careArticle
- Appropriateness of Mini-Invasive Approaches for Nausea and Vomiting Refractory to Medical Therapy in Palliative Care Setting: A Case Report.Case reports in oncologyArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesMethotrimeprazine is commonly used for the management of nausea but never tested formally against other drugs used in this setting. The aim was to demonstrate superior antiemetic efficacy.
designDouble-blind, randomised, controlled trial of methotrimeprazine versus haloperidol.
setting11 palliative care sites in Australia.
participantsParticipants were >18 years, had cancer, an average nausea score of ≥3/10 and able to tolerate oral medications. Ineligible patients had acute nausea related to treatment, nausea for which a specific antiemetic was indicated, were about to undergo a procedure or had received either of the study drugs or a change in glucocorticoid dose within the previous 48 hours.
interventionsBased on previous studies, haloperidol was used as the control. Participants were randomised to encapsulated methotrimeprazine 6·25 mg or haloperidol 1·5 mg one time or two times per day and assessed every 24 hours for 72 hours.
main outcome measuresA ≥two-point reduction in nausea score at 72 hours from baseline. Secondary outcome measures were as follows: complete response at 72 hours (end nausea score less than 3), response at 24 and 48 hours, vomiting episodes, use of rescue antiemetics, harms and global impression of change.
resultsResponse to treatment at 72 hours was 75% (44/59) in the haloperidol (H) arm and 63% (36/57) in the methotrimeprazine (M) arm with no difference between groups (intention-to-treat analysis). Complete response rates were 56% (H) and 51% (M). In the
conclusionThis study did not demonstrate any difference in response rate between methotrimeprazine and haloperidol in the control of nausea. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN 12615000177550.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.