Music interventions for preoperative anxiety.

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Psychology
• Evidence-based Medicine

Background:

• Preoperative anxiety negatively impacts surgical outcomes, including wound healing and recovery.
• Pharmacological interventions for anxiety have side effects and can prolong recovery.
• Non-pharmacological methods, such as music therapy and music medicine, are gaining attention for anxiety reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the efficacy of music interventions compared to standard care for reducing preoperative anxiety in surgical patients.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (e.g., CENTRAL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO) and trial registries.
• Inclusion of randomized and quasi-randomized trials comparing music interventions with standard care alone.
• Independent data extraction and risk of bias assessment by two reviewers, with meta-analyses where possible.

Main Results:

• Twenty-six trials (2051 participants) involving music listening were included.
• Music listening demonstrated a significant reduction in preoperative anxiety (STAI-S scores and other scales).
• A small effect was observed on heart rate and diastolic blood pressure; no significant effects on systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, or skin temperature.

Conclusions:

• Music listening interventions appear beneficial for reducing preoperative anxiety in surgical patients.
• Findings align with previous Cochrane reviews on music interventions for anxiety.
• Music interventions present a viable, non-pharmacological alternative to sedatives for managing preoperative anxiety.