Preoperative and perioperative music to reduce anxiety during first-time phacoemulsification cataract surgery in the high-volume setting: randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To determine whether preoperative and perioperative music exposure reduced patient self-rated anxiety and physiologic indicators of stress during first-time phacoemulsification cataract surgery in the high-volume setting. SETTING: Aravind Eye Care System, Pondicherry, India. DESIGN: Prospective single-masked randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Patients were provided music before and during first-time phacoemulsification in 1 group and patients underwent surgery without music in another group. Measurements of blood pressure (BP), heart rate, respiration rate, and a Likert scale anxiety rating were collected at preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative timepoints. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-five patients (aged 53-65 years) were provided music using a portable MP3 player before and during first-time phacoemulsification, and 165 patients underwent surgery without music. Systolic and diastolic BPs were statistically significantly lower in the music intervention group at the postoperative timepoint, with similar physiologic measures between groups during the perioperative timepoints. In the preoperative period, before music exposure, 62 patients (38%) in the music group reported being very or extremely anxious. After 10 minutes of music exposure, only 7 patients (4%) reported this anxiety level. In the perioperative period, 80 patients (48%) in the intervention group reported feeling not at all or a little anxious, compared with 50 patients (30%) of the control group. In the postoperative period, 139 (84%) music group patients felt not at all or a little anxious postoperatively compared with 92 patients (56%) in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Marked reductions in self-reported anxiety preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively when exposed to music and a statistically significant decrease in postoperative BP showed that music can be an inexpensive and effective solution to improve the patient experience of cataract surgery in the high-volume setting.

Vestibular stimulation with Indian hammock versus music intervention in the prevention of infantile colic in term infants: An open-labelled, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To determine whether vestibular stimulation offered by Indian hammock and music intervention are useful in reducing the occurrence of infantile colic in term infants. METHODS: This open-labelled randomized clinical trial was conducted among 465 term neonates who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: music group, hammock group and control group. The music intervention was given for a cumulative duration of at least 4 h a day with one stretch of at least 1 h. In the hammock group, babies were put to sleep inside the Indian hammock and were swung gently until they sleep, and were allowed to sleep in it, until they wake up. For the control group, routine pre-discharge counselling was given. All parents were provided a cry log and were instructed to record the log of cry events and duration. The primary outcome measure was occurrence of infantile colic episode as defined by ROME IV criteria. The infants were followed up from birth until the age of 3.5 months, and the cry log was collected during each follow-up visit. RESULTS: Of the 435 term neonates who completed follow-up, 59 infants developed infantile colic (13.6%). The prevalence of infantile colic in the control group, music group and the Indian hammock group was 25.6%, 5.4% and 9.6% respectively; there was a significant reduction in the prevalence of infantile colic in the intervention groups as compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Vestibular stimulation by Indian hammock and music intervention individually reduced the occurrence of infantile colic.

Live Music Therapy as an Active Focus of Attention for Pain and Behavioral Symptoms of Distress During Pediatric Immunization.

A total of 100 children coming for routine immunization to pediatric outpatient department were included and were divided into experiment (n = 50) and control (n = 50) groups. Experiment group received live music therapy during immunization procedure. Control group received no intervention. The Modified Behavior Pain Scale (MBPS), 10-point pain levels, and 10-point distress levels were documented by parents. Duration of crying was recorded by investigators. Pre- and postimmunization blood pressures and heart rates of parents holding the children were also measured and recorded by investigators. Independent and paired t tests were used for analysis. All 3 domains of the Modified Behavior Pain Scale and duration of crying showed significant improvement (P < .05) in the experiment group. Pain and distress levels also showed statistically nonsignificant improvement in experiment group. Blood pressure and heart rate of parents showed no difference. Music therapy could be helpful to children, parents, and health care providers by reducing discomfort of the child during pediatric immunization.