TY - JOUR
T1 - Guided relaxation–based virtual reality for acute postoperative pain and anxiety in a pediatric population
T2 - pilot observational study
AU - Olbrecht, Vanessa A.
AU - O'Conor, Keith T.
AU - Williams, Sara E.
AU - Boehmer, Chloe O.
AU - Marchant, Gilbert W.
AU - Glynn, Susan M.
AU - Geisler, Kristie J.
AU - Ding, Lili
AU - Yang, Gang
AU - King, Christopher D.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Vanessa A Olbrecht, Keith T O'Conor, Sara E Williams, Chloe O Boehmer, Gilbert W Marchant, Susan M Glynn, Kristie J Geisler, Lili Ding, Gang Yang, Christopher D King. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 12.07.2021. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - Background: Distraction-based therapies, such as virtual reality (VR), have been used to reduce pain during acutely painful procedures. However, distraction alone cannot produce prolonged pain reduction to manage sustained postoperative pain. Therefore, the integration of VR with other pain-reducing therapies, like guided relaxation, may enhance its clinical impact. Objective: The goal of this pilot study was to assess the impact of a single guided relaxation–based VR (VR-GR) session on postoperative pain and anxiety reduction in children. We also explored the influence of pain catastrophizing and anxiety sensitivity on this association. Methods: A total of 51 children and adolescents (7-21 years) with postoperative pain and followed by the Acute Pain Service at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital were recruited over an 8-month period to undergo a single VR-GR session. Prior to VR, the patients completed 2 questionnaires: Pain Catastrophizing Scale for Children (PCS-C) and the Child Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI). The primary outcome was a change in pain intensity following the VR-GR session (immediately, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes). The secondary outcomes included changes in pain unpleasantness and anxiety. Results: The VR-GR decreased pain intensity immediately (P<.001) and at 30 minutes (P=.04) after the VR session, but not at 15 minutes (P=.16) postsession. Reductions in pain unpleasantness were observed at all time intervals (P<.001 at all intervals). Anxiety was reduced immediately (P=.02) but not at 15 minutes (P=.08) or 30 minutes (P=.30) following VR-GR. Patients with higher CASI scores reported greater reductions in pain intensity (P=.04) and unpleasantness (P=.01) following VR-GR. Pain catastrophizing was not associated with changes in pain and anxiety. Conclusions: A single, short VR-GR session showed transient reductions in pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and anxiety in children and adolescents with acute postoperative pain. The results call for a future randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of VR-GR.
AB - Background: Distraction-based therapies, such as virtual reality (VR), have been used to reduce pain during acutely painful procedures. However, distraction alone cannot produce prolonged pain reduction to manage sustained postoperative pain. Therefore, the integration of VR with other pain-reducing therapies, like guided relaxation, may enhance its clinical impact. Objective: The goal of this pilot study was to assess the impact of a single guided relaxation–based VR (VR-GR) session on postoperative pain and anxiety reduction in children. We also explored the influence of pain catastrophizing and anxiety sensitivity on this association. Methods: A total of 51 children and adolescents (7-21 years) with postoperative pain and followed by the Acute Pain Service at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital were recruited over an 8-month period to undergo a single VR-GR session. Prior to VR, the patients completed 2 questionnaires: Pain Catastrophizing Scale for Children (PCS-C) and the Child Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI). The primary outcome was a change in pain intensity following the VR-GR session (immediately, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes). The secondary outcomes included changes in pain unpleasantness and anxiety. Results: The VR-GR decreased pain intensity immediately (P<.001) and at 30 minutes (P=.04) after the VR session, but not at 15 minutes (P=.16) postsession. Reductions in pain unpleasantness were observed at all time intervals (P<.001 at all intervals). Anxiety was reduced immediately (P=.02) but not at 15 minutes (P=.08) or 30 minutes (P=.30) following VR-GR. Patients with higher CASI scores reported greater reductions in pain intensity (P=.04) and unpleasantness (P=.01) following VR-GR. Pain catastrophizing was not associated with changes in pain and anxiety. Conclusions: A single, short VR-GR session showed transient reductions in pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and anxiety in children and adolescents with acute postoperative pain. The results call for a future randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of VR-GR.
KW - Acute pain
KW - Anxiety
KW - Guided relaxation–based virtual reality
KW - Pain
KW - Pediatrics
KW - Postoperative pain
KW - Virtual reality
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85110258801
U2 - 10.2196/26328
DO - 10.2196/26328
M3 - Article
C2 - 34048358
AN - SCOPUS:85110258801
SN - 1439-4456
VL - 23
JO - Journal of Medical Internet Research
JF - Journal of Medical Internet Research
IS - 7
M1 - e26328
ER -