Effect of different perioperative music interventions on anxiety and blood pressure levels during intravitreal injections.

Abstract

Introduction: Intravitreal injections (IVIs) are essential yet anxiety-provoking procedures. This study evaluates the impact of perioperative music interventions on mitigating anxiety and hemodynamic responses.

Purpose: To explore the influence of various music genres on anxiety and blood pressure (BP) levels in patients undergoing IVI at the day-surgery center.

Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial involving 130 patients who were scheduled to receive IVI. The participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: the binaural beat group (n = 31), the Chinese music group (n = 33), the Western music group (n = 31), and the control group (n = 35). Patients in the music groups were provided with in-ear headphones and received corresponding musical interventions in the waiting room and throughout the surgery, while the control group did not receive any special interventions. Before the operation, all participants completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) questionnaire, systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and pulse rate (PR) were measured, which were measured during and after surgery as well. After the IVI operation, the STAI-S questionnaire was again filled out completely.

Results: The cohort (59.2 % female; mean age 62.22 ± 12.71 years) exhibited baseline measures of STAI-S (39.38 ± 5.77), SBP (148.88 ± 19.67 mmHg), DBP (81.82 ± 10.93 mmHg), and PR (82.97 ± 11.53 bpm). Post-intervention, significant reductions in STAI-S scores occurred in the binaural beats group (-7.23 ± 3.83; P < 0.001 vs control) and Chinese music group (-4.12 ± 5.02; P = 0.018 vs control), while the binaural beats group uniquely attenuated SBP elevation (intraoperative: P = 0.019; postoperative: P < 0.005 vs other groups). No significant changes emerged in DBP or pulse rate across groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Among the Chinese population, both binaural beats and Chinese music were found to significantly reduce anxiety levels in patients receiving IVIs. Furthermore, the binaural beats group exhibited a decrease in systolic blood pressure during and after the procedure. Music therapy may be potentially advantageous for improving the perioperative period of IVIs in patients. In the future, the combined magic of music therapy and ophthalmic surgery should be explored to reduce anxiety in patients with ophthalmic diseases themselves.