The Efficacy of Aromatherapy on Pain and Anxiety During Needle-Related Procedures in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Pain and anxiety resulting from needle-related manipulation are major causes of patient refusal and missed optimal treatment. This study focuses on assessing the effectiveness and benefits of aromatherapy in adult patients undergoing needle-related manipulation for pain and anxiety.

Methods: The researchers conducted detailed searches of a total of five databases, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase Databases, and Scopus, from the period of the library's construction until November 23, 2024. Inclusion criteria involved adults undergoing needle-related manipulation, aromatherapy as an intervention, and outcome indicators such as pain, anxiety, and satisfaction. And the results were analyzed in subgroups. This study used RevMan 5.4.1 software to analyse the included data.

Results: This meta-analysis and systematic review included a total of 9 studies. A meta-analysis demonstrated that aromatherapy as an intervention significantly reduced pain (MD = -1.82, 95% CI [-2.35, -1.30], p < 0.00001) and anxiety (SMD = -0.92, 95% CI [-1.71, -0.14], p = 0.02) in adult patients undergoing needle-related invasive procedures compared to placebo and conventional interventions. Subgroup analyses indicated aromatherapy reduced pain during needle procedures for arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) and catheter placement, and alleviated anxiety in AVF patients. Lavender oil effectively reduced both pain and anxiety. The 5-minute duration of action is superior to the 3-minute duration of action. Both inhalation and topical application reduced pain.

Conclusion: This meta-analysis supports aromatherapy for needle-related pain relief and targeted anxiety reduction. However, protocol standardization in future RCTs is needed to address high heterogeneity and methodological limitations.