Effects of music intervention on inflammatory markers in critically ill and post-operative patients: A systematic review of the literature.
Sikandar H Khan, Michelle Kitsis, Dmitriy Golovyan and 4 others
PMID 30001799WHAT IT FOUND
Music may lower cortisol in ICU and post-operative patients, but evidence is low and other inflammatory markers did not consistently change.
Key findings
01Music listening may be associated with lower serum cortisol in ICU and post-operative patients, but the evidence level in all included studies was low.
02The review included 14 studies, with sample sizes ranging from 10 to 205 participants.
03Most trials gave participants music only once rather than multiple sessions over several days.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
All included studies were rated low level of evidence. Most trials used music for only one session. Small sample sizes, lack of blinding, per-protocol analyses, and variable intervention timing were common. The review could not combine studies statistically because patient populations, settings, and interventions differed. Cortisol changes were not linked to patient outcomes such as mortality, ICU stay, or hospital length of stay.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest were declared. The article metadata lists NIH and U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that music reliably reduces inflammation in critically ill or post-operative patients. The review found possible cortisol changes, but all included studies had low evidence, most used only one session, and other inflammatory markers did not consistently change.