Use of music during physical therapy intervention in a neonatal intensive care unit: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Introduction: Previous studies have shown music therapy as a way to improve the clinical status of premature infants, improving vital signs and decreasing crying episodes. Compare the effects of music on vital signs of premature infants undergoing respiratory physiotherapy. Methods: We performed a randomized clinical trial consisting of 26 premature infants, divided into control group (N=12) and study group (N=14), carried out in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. All newborn infants undergone standard practice physiotherapy for 15 minutes: vibration and aspiration. On the study group they were exposed to classical music three minutes before the standard physiotherapy, and finished three minutes after the end of these procedures. A recorder was placed inside the incubator with an intensity of 25 decibels. Measurements of heart and respiratory rate and oxygen saturation were measured before, during and after each sessions of respiratory physiotherapy for two groups. Results: When comparing control and study groups regarding heart rate frequency and oxygen saturation, there was no statistically significant difference, but the inclusion of music determined clinically the variability of these data and 30% of the variation in respiratory rate was due to the inclusion of music during and after the physiotherapy, and the neonatal noninvasive ventilation showed less variation in their respiratory rate when compared to the neonatal on oxygen therapy. Conclusion: The results have showed a beneficial effect of music, showing lower respiratory rate in newborn infants during and after respiratory physiotherapy procedure.