Music therapy improves the mood of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (controlled randomized study)

Abstract

Purpose: The allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a therapeutic medical treatment for various neoplastic hematologic, congenital, genetic, or acquired disorders. In this procedure which combines high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and has a high degree of cytotoxicity, the patient experiences solitary confinement, which causes psychological distress, pain, anxiety, mood disorders and can lead him/her to depression. Music therapy was applied with the purpose of decreasing this social confinement. This is a randomized controlled trial.

Method: Patients (n = 100) were selected randomly. Patients (n = 50) were selected for the Experimental Music Therapy Group (EMG) and n = 50 for the control group (CG) who received the standard treatment. The intervention of live music was applied using music therapy techniques. Assessment and quantification were made using the visual analog scale (VAS). The dependent variables were pain, anxiety, and mood of patients.

Results: The Mann-Whitney test (p < 0.05) applied was considered statistically significant when comparing the groups, improving mood significantly (EMG).

Conclusion: Music therapy proved to be a strong ally in the treatment of patients undergoing allo-HSCT, providing bio-psychosocial welfare.

Keywords: Anxiety; HSCT; Mood; Music therapy.