The influence of visual objects and music on anxiety levels of breast cancer patients scheduled to experience chemotherapy for the first time: a prospective randomized clinical study

Influence of visual objects and music on anxiety levels and imaging process in patients undergoing coronary CT angiography

OBJECTIVE

High anxiety during coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) can compromise imaging quality, increase radiation exposure, and elevate medication use. Therefore, optimizing waiting room environments to reduce patient anxiety is important for clinical outcomes. This study examines the effects of music and visual stimuli in the waiting rooms on patients' anxiety levels, heart rate, radiation dose, and beta-blocker use prior to CCTA.

METHODS

This study, designed as a prospective and randomized trial, was conducted between April 15 and August 15, 2024, with 216 patients randomized into two groups: a standard waiting room (SWR) and a designed waiting room (DWR) featuring music and visual objects. Anxiety and depression levels were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Additional parameters, such as heart rate, radiation dose, and beta-blocker requirement, were also recorded.

RESULTS

In the DWR group, anxiety scores and heart rates were significantly lower compared to the SWR group (p < 0.001). Additionally, a notable reduction in radiation dose and beta-blocker use was observed in the DWR group (p < 0.05). In the general patient population, higher anxiety scores were associated with poorer imaging quality. Imaging quality was significantly better in the DWR group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

It has been demonstrated that waiting room designs enriched with music and visual stimuli reduce anxiety during CCTA scanning, enhancing patient comfort, improving imaging quality, and enabling imaging with lower radiation doses. The design of such waiting rooms can improve patient experience while optimizing outcomes.

KEY POINTS

Question Can a waiting room with music and visual stimuli reduce anxiety and heart rate in CCTA patients, improving imaging quality and reducing beta-blocker use? Findings Music and visual stimuli reduced anxiety and heart rate, lowering beta-blocker use and radiation doses while improving imaging quality in CCTA. Clinical relevance Integrating music and visual stimuli in waiting rooms helps reduce anxiety and heart rate, leading to less medication use and radiation exposure while enhancing imaging quality. This simple, cost-effective approach improves patient comfort and optimizes outcomes in CCTA procedures.

Potential Benefits of Music Therapy on Stroke Rehabilitation

Stroke is associated with a high rate of disability and mortality, and survivors are usually accompanied with dysphagia, aphasia, motor dysfunction, cognitive impairment, depression, and other complications. In the past decades, many studies have been conducted to reveal the pathogenesis and pathological mechanisms of stroke. Furthermore, treatment methods have been developed that contribute to the elevated survival rate of stroke patients. Early rehabilitation poststroke is starting to be recognized as important and has been receiving increasing attention in order to further improve the quality of life of the patients. As an emerging method of poststroke rehabilitation, music therapy can help attenuate dysphagia and aphasia, improve cognition and motor function, alleviate negative moods, and accelerate neurological recovery in stroke patients. This review helps summarize the recent progress that has been made using music therapy in stroke rehabilitation and is aimed at providing clinical evidence for the treatment of stroke patients.