Effect of Music Therapy on Anxiety, Stress and Sedative Requirements in Patients Undergoing Lower Limb Orthopedic Surgery Under Spinal Anesthesia: A Randomized Controlled Study

Background Music therapy is a safe, non-pharmacological way to help reduce anxiety, especially before surgery. It helps to calm the nervous system, promotes relaxation, and offers comfort by blocking outside noise and distracting from pain. This can be helpful in managing preoperative anxiety and symptoms like hypertension and tachycardia. While the benefits of music therapy for stress and sedation are well known, its specific effects on patients receiving spinal anesthesia haven't been studied yet. Understanding this could improve care for these patients. Overall, music therapy could be a valuable tool in the surgical process. Objectives : The study aimed to compare sedative requirements between two patient groups. : To compare anxiety levels between two patient groups using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. It also assessed hemodynamic changes and measured stress levels by analyzing serum cortisol and immunoglobulin A levels in both groups.  Materials and methods Ninety-two American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class I and II patients, aged 18-65 years, with a body mass index of 18-25 kg/m undergoing lower limb orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia were selected for the study. After spinal anesthesia, the group M (n=46) patients received the music of their choice from headphones connected to mobile phones and patients in group NM (n=46) were attached headphones without any music therapy. After the attachment of headphones, propofol was administered in both the groups for sedation in a bolus dose of 1-2mg/kg iv followed by an infusion dose of 5-50 μg/kg/min. The propofol infusion was titrated based on Bispectral Index (BIS) values kept between 70 and 80 for moderate sedation. Preoperatively, blood samples were collected to measure baseline serum cortisol and IgA levels. Intraoperatively, hemodynamic parameters were measured, and anxiety level was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Scale 30 minutes prior to the administration of spinal anesthesia. Postoperatively, anxiety was re-evaluated, and additional blood samples for the assessment of cortisol and IgA were taken at 30 minutes and 12 hours after the administration of spinal anesthesia. Results The mean serum cortisol was lower in Group M as compared to Group NM (15.1±1.2 vs. 17.1±1; p = 0.0001). Mean serum IgA was significantly lower in Group M as compared to Group NM (269.3±54.5 vs. 294.2±49.9; p = 0.024) during the intraoperative period. The mean STAI Score was lower in Group M compared to Group NM (34.87±4.53 vs. 34.61±5.06; p = 0.008). The mean propofol requirement (mg) was lower in Group M as compared to Group NM (147.8±11.3 vs. 193±16; p = 0.0001). The hemodynamic parameters were comparable between the groups (p>0.05). Conclusion Patients in the music therapy group experienced lower anxiety, stress, and serum cortisol levels during surgery, with reduced serum IgA levels and decreased propofol requirement for sedation. Overall, music therapy was effective in reducing anxiety, stress, and sedative requirements during surgery under regional anesthesia.