Application of Music Intervention Combined with Multidimensional Nursing in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: A...

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of music intervention with multidimensional nursing in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants.

This retrospective cohort study analysed 100 VLBW infants admitted to our hospital between January 2023 and November 2024. The subjects were divided into two groups based on intervention methods as follows: the multidimensional nursing group received multidimensional nursing (n = 43), and the music therapy group received additional music intervention (n = 57). Physiological parameters (heart rate [HR], respiratory rate [RR], oxygen saturation [SpO2]), sleep architecture, growth velocity, cortisol levels, Newborn Comfort Behavior scale (COMFORTneo), Neonatal Infant Pain scale (NIPS), time to achieve full oral feeding (FOF) and hospitalisation duration were compared between groups.

After the intervention, compared with the multidimensional nursing group, the music therapy group demonstrated greater reductions in HR and RR and higher SpO2 levels (P < 0.05), exhibited longer total sleep duration and fewer awakenings (P < 0.05) and achieved higher weight gain and head circumference expansion rates (P < 0.05). Salivary cortisol decreased in both groups, but significantly lower values were observed in the music therapy group compared with the multidimensional nursing group (P < 0.05). Compared with the multidimensional nursing group, the music therapy group displayed lower COMFORTneo and NIPS scores (P < 0.05), earlier FOF time and shorter hospitalisation duration (P < 0.001).

Music therapy combined with multimaintenance nursing considerably improves physiologic stability, growth and feeding tolerance in VLBW infants and increases stress resistance.