Effect of music therapy on outcomes of critically ill patients

Intensive care units (ICUs) are stressful milieus for patients, particularly when under mechanical ventilation. Music is a non-pharmacological intervention that has shown a positive impact on physiological and psychological parameters in patients on mechanical ventilation.

To evaluate outcome of music therapy on patients who are critically ill to note the effect on ICU stays.

One-hundred-and-thirty-six adult patients with acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation for 48 hours or more were randomized into the music therapy or routine care (control) groups. Patients were assessed for weaning criteria before music therapy was given. If eligible, a 30-minute music therapy was given prior to the extubation. Vital parameters were recorded at 5-minute intervals of therapy. Visual Analog Scale (VAS)-Dyspnea and VAS-Anxiety (VAS-A) were assessed before and after therapy. Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale and Numerical Rating Scale scoring were conducted.

The difference in times of ventilator support in the music therapy intervention group (58.22 ± 14.90 hours) and the control group (56.88 ± 13.10 hours) was not statistically significant. ICU length of stay was significantly lower in the music therapy group (4.97 ± 1.70 days vs control group: 5.70 ± 1.74 days). ICU mortality was significantly lower in the music therapy group as compared with the control group (7.4% vs 19.1%; P = 0.043). At 0 minute the VAS-A scores of the music therapy (6.82 ± 1.36) and control group (7.07 ± 1.07) were comparable. During the remainder of the observation period, the VAS score of the music therapy group was significantly lower than that of the control group.

Music therapy is an inexpensive non-pharmacological intervention for patients in the ICU. However, future multicenter studies are warranted before routinely using music therapy in patients in the ICU.