Virtual reality hypnosis during protective isolation: a parallel group randomized trial

Patients in protective isolation often develop symptoms of anxiety. Virtual reality therapy and hypnosis could be of benefit to these patients, as both have been shown to relieve anxiety in a hospital setting. In this study, we investigated the use of virtual reality hypnosis (VRH), which induces a state of hypnosis. The primary aim was to determine whether VRH would reduce patients' anxiety during protective isolation. The secondary aim was to determine whether it would also relieve any pain.

This parallel group, open-label, single-center randomized trial included adult neutropenic patients who were about to undergo protective isolation within a hospital. The patients were randomly allocated, to receive either a 20-min session of VRH (n = 30) or a control activity (n = 30), for three days. The outcome measures included state anxiety from the state-trait anxiety inventory and pain on a visual analogue scale; these were assessed both before and after each session.

The state anxiety questionnaires could be scored for 58 patients on day 1, 40 on day 2, and 30 on day 3. The mean scores were found to fall following the VRH and control sessions. The reduction in S-anxiety was found to be significantly greater for the VRH group (-6.4 ± 9.6) than for the control group (-1.9 ± 5.3; p = 0.03). The pain ratings were low (< 2) and did not differ between the groups.

This study indicates that VRH is effective for reducing patients' anxiety during protective isolation, and may therefore be beneficial for patients.

This study was registered in Clinical Trials (NCT04794608, date of registration: 2021/03/03) and in ANSM (French drug regulator: 2020-A02561-38).