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Effect of Live Versus Recorded Music on Children Receiving Mechanical Ventilation and Sedation
Hannah Ivey Bush1, A Blythe LaGasse2, Elizabeth Herr Collier3
1Hannah Ivey Bush is an assistant professor of music therapy, West Virginia University, Morgantown.
Insights
Live music significantly reduced heart rate in pediatric critical care patients, unlike recorded music. This suggests live music may be a superior nonpharmacological pain management strategy for these young patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
- Music Therapy
- Pain Management
Background:
- Music is a recognized nonpharmacological pain management strategy.
- Limited evidence exists on music's efficacy in pediatric critical care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare live versus recorded music interventions.
- To assess effects on heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate.
- Focus on pediatric critical care patients on mechanical ventilation and sedation.
Main Methods:
- Exploratory randomized controlled trial in a pediatric intensive care unit.
- 15-minute interventions: live music vs. recorded music by a music therapist.
- Physiological measures (heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate) recorded over 60 minutes post-intervention.
Main Results:
- 33 patients (0-2 years) completed the study.
- Live music group showed significant, sustained heart rate reduction.
- Recorded music group showed no significant changes in heart rate or blood pressure.
Conclusions:
- Live music interventions may be more effective than recorded music.
- Live music may reduce pain and anxiety in pediatric critical care.
- Adaptability of live music delivery by a therapist may enhance effectiveness.
Background:
Music is often used as a nonpharmacological pain management strategy, but little evidence is available about its role in pediatric critical care patients.
Objective:
To determine the effect of a live music intervention versus a recorded music intervention on heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate in pediatric critical care patients receiving mechanical ventilation and sedation.
Methods:
An exploratory randomized controlled trial was performed in a pediatric intensive care unit. Participants were randomly allocated to receive a live music intervention with standard care or a recorded music intervention with standard care. Each intervention was delivered by a board-certified music therapist for 15 minutes. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure were measured at baseline and at 15-minute intervals for 60 minutes after the intervention.
Results:
A total of 33 patients aged 0 to 2 years completed the study: 17 were assigned to the live music group and 16 to the recorded music group. In the live music group, a significant reduction in heart rate was observed immediately after the intervention and was sustained at 60 minutes after the intervention. Although the live music group also exhibited a downward trend in blood pressure, those differences were not significant.
Conclusions:
The results of this study indicate that live music interventions may be more effective than recorded music interventions in reducing pain and anxiety in pediatric critical care patients. The advantage of live music may be due to the adaptability of the music delivery by a trained music therapist.
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