Swedish investigators tested whether acupuncture, combined with ondansetron treatment, reduces nausea and vomiting associated with cyclophosphamide infusion in patients with rheumatic diseases. Thirty-nine patients were treated with acupuncture at point PC 6 and/or in the ear to decrease nausea and vomiting. The patients reported the severity of nausea and number of bouts of vomiting at the start of chemotherapy and after 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 h. Compared with ondansetron treatment alone, the combined acupuncture–ondansetron treatment significantly decreased both the severity of nausea and the number of bouts of vomiting 24 h and 48 h after the subjects had received acupuncture at the first treatment session. Similar results were seen 48 h and 72 h after the subjects had had their last treatment of acupuncture.