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Effect of music on pediatric endoscopic examinations: a randomized controlled trial
Constanza Bay1, Romina Henriquez2, Luis Villarroel3
1Department of Pediatrics, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile.
Insights
Music significantly reduces anxiety and pain in children undergoing endoscopic procedures. This adjunct to sedation improves patient experience and satisfaction during these common pediatric examinations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Anesthesiology
- Medical Music Therapy
Background:
- Pediatric endoscopic procedures can induce significant anxiety and pain.
- Sedation is commonly used, but adjuncts to improve patient experience are sought.
- Music therapy is an emerging area for managing procedural anxiety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of music as an adjunct to sedation in reducing anxiety during pediatric endoscopic examinations.
- To assess the impact of music on pain perception, patient experience, and family satisfaction.
Main Methods:
- A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted with children aged 2-18 years.
- Participants were allocated to receive music with sedation or sedation alone.
- Anxiety was measured using the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) and Visual Analog Anxiety Scale (VAS-anxiety). Pain was assessed with the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPRS).
Main Results:
- The music group exhibited significantly lower m-YPAS scores (27.7 vs 34.7) and VAS-anxiety scores (0.55 vs 1.57).
- A higher proportion of children in the music group had low m-YPAS scores (80% vs 49%).
- The music group reported significantly lower pain scores (2.7 vs 1.3) and improved patient experience, with no difference in sedation doses.
Conclusions:
- Music serves as an effective adjunct to sedation for pediatric endoscopic procedures, significantly reducing anxiety and pain.
- Incorporating music improves the overall patient experience and satisfaction during these interventions.
- Music therapy offers a non-pharmacological approach to enhance procedural comfort in pediatric patients.
Abstract:
Background and study aims The primary objective was to measure the effect of music as an adjunct to sedation in patient anxiety levels during pediatric endoscopic examinations. Patients and methods We performed a single-blind randomized controlled trial comparing music with no music in children aged 2 to 18 years. Anxiety was measured using the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) and the Visual Analog Anxiety Scale (VAS-anxiety). Patient perception of pain was evaluated with the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPRS). Patient experience, family satisfaction, and endoscopist perception of difficulty were evaluated. Sedative doses were recorded. Results A total of 51 children were randomized to the experimental group and 49 children to the control group. The mean ages were 10.5 years and 12.3 years, respectively. There were 63 % female subjects with no differences between groups. Overall, there were 85 upper endoscopies and 15 colonoscopies. In the recovery unit, the experimental group had lower average m-YPAS scores (mean score 27.7 vs 34.7; P < 0.001), a higher proportion of them had low m-YPAS scores (80 % vs 49 % P < 0.001), had lower VAS-anxiety scores [mean score 0.55 vs 1.57 ( P = 0.003)], and had lower WBFPRS scores [mean score 2.7 vs 1.3 ( P = 0.001)]. There were no statistically significant differences found in the amount of standard sedation given to the groups, nor in additional sedation administered. In the experimental group, the patient-reported experience was significantly better. Conclusions The study results show that music reduces anxiety and pain associated with endoscopic procedures in children. It also facilitates these procedures and improves patient satisfaction.
