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The Effect of Music on Patients in Critical Care

Not Applicable
Conditions
Intensive Care
Interventions
Other: Music session
Registration Number
NCT04847570
Lead Sponsor
Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust
Brief Summary

The EMPIRE study will assess the effect of music listening on patients in critical care. 30 patients from the Adult Intensive Care Unit (AICU) at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital will be recruited to undergo a single 40-minute session of supervised music listening. Before and after the session, patients will be asked to describe their pain and anxiety on a rating of 1-10, and the patient's level of agitation/sedation will also be measured. In addition, physiological data such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and level of sedation (bispectral index score) will be measured throughout the listening session. Finally, a 3-month follow-up interview will be conducted to assess the influence of the music on participants' experience of the Adult Intensive Care Unit.

Detailed Description

The EMPIRE study will assess the effect of music listening on patients in critical care. Treatment on an intensive care unit can be disorientating and frightening, with patients at risk of delirium and post-traumatic stress disorder. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated some of the factors which might contribute to this, such as lack of visits from relatives and friends, increased difficulty communicating with staff, and an increased likelihood of being on mechanical ventilation and sedation. Music has shown the potential to be a low-cost non-pharmacological intervention which can improve patients' experience of acute care without adding significantly to the workload of staff.

Studies have suggested that music listening has the potential to reduce feelings of pain and anxiety in critical care patients, as well as improved autonomic physiological outcomes such as heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure.

The EMPIRE study will seek to explore the effects described above in greater detail. 30 patients from the Adult Intensive Care Unit (AICU) at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital will be recruited to undergo a single 40-minute session of supervised music listening, in which they will be encouraged to request their favourite music if they are able. Before and after the session, patients will be asked to describe their pain and anxiety on a rating of 1-10, and the patient's level of agitation/sedation will also be measured, so that changes in these can be evaluated. In addition, physiological data such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and level of sedation (bispectral index score) will be measured throughout the listening session, and later analysed for significant changes in relation to the music that was being played. Finally, a 3-month follow-up interview will be conducted to assess the influence of the music on participants' experience of the Adult Intensive Care Unit.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
30
Inclusion Criteria
  • Nominated for participation by the clinical team of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital AICU
  • Level 1-3 critical care inpatient at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital AICU
  • Age 18 or above
  • English speaking
  • RASS score >-2
  • No significant hearing loss (able to hear music being played)
  • Consent obtained from patient or advice sought from consultee (personal or nominated (professional))
Exclusion Criteria
  • Under 18 years of age
  • Non-English speaking
  • RASS score <-2
  • Significant hearing loss (not able to hear music being played)
  • Unable to obtain consent from patient or receive advice from consultee (personal or nominated)

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Music listening experienceMusic sessionIt is a single-arm non-randomised study. The same inclusion and exclusion criteria applies to all the participants.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Investigate the effect of music on RR6 months

Measured in breaths per minute

Investigate the effect of music on state anxiety6 months

Verbal anxiety rating, 0-10, pre/post.

Investigate the effect of music on pain6 months

Either ONRS 0-10, or C-POT 0-8, pre/post

Investigate the effect of music on agitation6 months

RASS, -5 to +4, pre-/post

Investigate the effect of music on HR6 months

Measured in beats per minute

Investigate the effect of music on DBP and SBP6 months

Measured in mm Hg

Investigate the effect of music on BIS6 months

Measured using the Bispectral index (BIS)

Investigate the longitudinal effects of music on ICU experience3 months

Follow up interview 3 months later

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Correlation analysis of continuous HR, RR, BP and BIS data with the following musical analysis data (drawn from the Spotify API):6 months

* Acousticness (0-1)

* Danceability (0-1)

* Duration (continuous)

* Energy (0-1)

* Instrumentalness (0-1)

* Key (0-11)

* Liveness (0-1)

* Loudness (db, c.-60 to 0)

* Mode (0-1)

* Speechiness (0-1)

* Tempo (continuous)

* Time Signature (continuous)

* Valence (0-1)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

🇬🇧

London, United Kingdom

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