Music in the endoscopy suite: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Clinical interventions
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Previous research indicates music therapy offers stress relief and pain management.
• This meta-analysis specifically investigates music therapy's impact on patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of music therapy in managing patient anxiety and pain during gastrointestinal endoscopy.
• To analyze the effects of music therapy on sedation and analgesia requirements and procedure duration.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search of PubMed and Cochrane Library databases was conducted.
• Six randomized controlled trials involving 641 patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures were included.
• Four meta-analyses were performed, comparing music therapy with control groups, with and without pharmacotherapy.

Main Results:

• Music therapy significantly reduced anxiety levels in patients not receiving pharmacotherapy (8.6% reduction, P = 0.004).
• In patients receiving pharmacotherapy, music therapy led to significant reductions in analgesia requirements (29.7% reduction, P = 0.001) and procedure times (21% reduction, P = 0.002).
• A trend towards reduced sedation requirements was observed with music therapy (15% reduction, P = 0.055).

Conclusions:

• Music therapy is a valuable, non-pharmacological tool for enhancing patient comfort during gastrointestinal endoscopy.
• It effectively alleviates anxiety and provides analgesia, contributing to improved procedural outcomes.
• The findings support the integration of music therapy into routine care for patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures.