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May 06, 2020
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Music reduces anxiety during pediatric endoscopic procedures

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Music helped reduce anxiety and pain associated with endoscopic procedures in children, according to research from Digestive Disease Week.

Constanza Bay, MD, from the department of pediatrics at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, said in a recorded audio presentation that endoscopy often causes anxiety in children, which can lead to an uncooperative patient and a need for more sedative medication.

“Through the years, it has been acknowledged that music is an inexpensive, safe, non-invasive and effective non-pharmacological anxiolytic agent,” she said. “There are multiple studies in endoscopy in adults, that have shown its effectiveness in reducing anxiety, improving patient tolerance to the procedures, and sometimes, even decreasing the dose of sedative medication required.”

Researchers performed a single-blinded trial that compared music with no music in 100 children (aged 2 to 18 years) who required gastrointestinal endoscopy. They measured anxiety using the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) and the Visual Analog Anxiety Scale (VAS-anxiety). They also evaluated patients’ perception of pain using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPRS).

In the recovery unit, the music group (n = 51) had lower average m-YPAS scores compared with the no music group (27.7 vs. 34.7; P < .001) and a high proportion of patients with low m-YPAS scores (80% vs. 49%; P < .001). The music group also had lower VAS-anxiety scores (mean score 0.55 vs. 1.57; P = .003) and lower WBFPRS scores (mean score 2.7 vs. 1.3; P = .001).

Although there was no difference between the two groups in the sedation administered, the music group had better patient-reported experience and family satisfaction. Endoscopists also reported less difficulty performing the procedure.

“As a future outlook, we can see that prevention and reduction of anxiety should focus on previous stages and during the procedure,” Bay said. “Short-term effects could translate into a better long-term experience for children in medical settings.” – by Alex Young

Reference:

Bay Muntnich CS, et al. Abstract 602. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week; May 2-5, 2020; Chicago (meeting canceled).

Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.