The Effect of Music and Eye Masks on Sleep Quality and Delirium in Abdominal Surgery Intensive Care Patients: Randomized Controlled Trial.

The study was done in one hospital in one province, so the results may not transfer to other ICUs. Patients and the nurse delivering the intervention knew which group they were in, which can influence reported sleep and observed delirium scores. Group assignment used odd or even patient file numbers within age and sex strata, not true random number generation, so allocation bias is possible. Two patients declined, six were transferred, and 50 patients were randomized, leaving 45 patients analysed. Only 45 patients were analysed, and only 2 delirium cases occurred in the control group on day 3, so the delirium case comparison was not significant and may be unstable. The intervention was tested only over 3 nights, so longer-term effects are unknown. The eye mask and music were given together, so the study cannot tell which part, if either, produced the improvement.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. No funding source is stated in the supplied text.

Do not conclude that eye masks alone or music alone prevented delirium. The two were applied together for three nights, and observed delirium cases on day 3 did not differ between groups.