The effect of sound therapy on the anxiety and blood pressure of patients on the waiting list for gastrointestinal endoscopy: A randomized clinical trial

Anxiety is one the main problems of patients on waiting list for endoscopic procedures. Previous studies have indicated adverse effects of anxiety on these patients. to determine the effect of sound therapy on the anxiety and blood pressure of patients on waiting list for endoscopy. This was a randomized clinical trial, in which 124 patients on waiting list for endoscopy were randomly divided into control and experimental groups at the department of endoscopy in Mustafa Khomeini hospital in 2012- 2013. Patients in the experimental group received nature-based sounds 20 minutes before endoscopy, while the control group received routine interventions. Anxiety (using spielburger questionnaire) and blood pressure were measured 20 minutes and immediately before endoscopy in both groups. The data were analyzed by independent t-test, chi-square, and Fisher’s exact tests using SPSS (v. 14). In the experimental group, 56.45% were women and in the control group 54.84% were men. The mean score of anxiety in the experimental and control groups was 31.6±3.3 and 68.9 ±9.5, respectively after the intervention (p<0.05). The mean systolic blood pressure of the experimental and control groups after the intervention was 120.6 ±11.5 and 150.0 ±20.8, respectively (P<0.001). Sound therapy had positive effects on reducing the anxiety of patients on the waiting list for endoscopy and may reduce BP and anxiety. Thus, it is recommended as a non-pharmacologic intervention.