Perioperative AnxietyNCT07206186
Effect of Music on Patient Comfort
A study testing Music in people with Perioperative Anxiety, run by Medical University of Vienna at 1 site in Austria.
Trial summary
Perioperative anxiety remains a prevalent and significant concern for patients undergoing surgery, with substantial impacts on postoperative pain perception, patient satisfaction and recovery. Historically, anxiolytics (e.g. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Perioperative Anxiety
- What is being tested?
- Music
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteAustria
- Study dates
- 5 Jun 2025to 1 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Written informed consent
- Elective ophthalmological surgery under general anesthesia (e.g. strabismus surgery, cataract surgery or other lens surgery, glaucoma surgery, keratoplasty or other corneal transplantation, vitrectomy or other retinal surgery, lacrimal duct surgery)
- Age: 18-70 years
- ASA score I-II (American Society of Anesthesiologists)
Who cannot join
- Pre-existing psychiatric disorder (e.g. anxiety disorder, PTSD, depression)
- Chronic pain patients
- Language barrier
- Anticipated difficult airway
- Pregnancy
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Music Listening During Anesthesia Induction and Emergence: Assessing Its Role in Enhancing Patient Comfort
Perioperative anxiety remains a prevalent and significant concern for patients undergoing surgery, with substantial impacts on postoperative pain perception, patient satisfaction and recovery. Historically, anxiolytics (e.g. benzodiazepines) were often routinely administered preoperatively in this context, accepting the potential negative side effects of pharmacotherapy. In recent literature, there is an increasing focus on alternative, non-pharmacological methods for anxiety reduction, such as music, music therapy, virtual reality, and hypnosis.
Music can represent an effective and cost-efficient option to reduce perioperative anxiety and stress. Most randomized controlled trials on this topic (music group vs. non-music group) have been conducted in pediatric patient populations, often showing significant results (i.e. significantly less anxiety in the music group, measured using standardized scales or inventories). In adult patient populations, considerably fewer randomized controlled trials with music interventions for perioperative anxiety reduction have been conducted so far.
Read more
This study aims to evaluate the role of music during anesthesia induction and emergence for perioperative anxiety reduction in a randomized controlled trial. Patients will be randomized preoperatively into either the intervention group (50 patients, music) or the control group (50 patients, no music), and a baseline level of preoperative anxiety will be assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). In the intervention group, music of the patient's choice will be played starting from their arrival in the operating room during anesthesia induction, and again after the end of surgery during emergence from anesthesia. Afterwards, the effects of the music intervention on the patients' subjective well-being will be assessed in the intervention group postoperatively before discharge from the recovery room using four specific questions. In both groups, the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) portion of the STAI will also be administered and the results compared.
In addition, the NASA Task Load Index will be administered to the attending anesthesiologists in both groups to evaluate whether the subjective workload of the anesthesiologists changes as a result of the music intervention.
- Conditions
- Perioperative Anxiety
- Being tested
- Music
- Keywords
- Perioperative Anxiety, Music, Music intervention, State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), NASA Task Load Index, Anesthesia, Patient Comfort
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
MusicOther
Music as per patient choice
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Music group | Experimental | After randomization, the intervention group will be asked which type of music they would like to listen to during anesthesia induction and emergence. Upon arrival in the operating room, the selected music will be played from a wireless speaker at approximately 50-60 dB. The volume will be continuously monitored using a sound level meter and adjusted as needed. The music will stop once the airway is secured by the attending anesthetist (i.e. following endotracheal intubation or placement of a laryngeal mask). Music will resume after the surgery is completed, the bandage (if required) has been applied, and the administration of anesthetic medication has ceased. Music will be paused again after anesthesia emergence as the patient leaves the operating room. Receives: Other: Music |
| Control group | No intervention | The control group will not receive music during anesthesia induction or emergence. However, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) will be administered preoperatively as well as the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) portion of the STAI postoperatively. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Impact of listening to self-selected music during anesthesia induction and emergence on patient well-being
The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial is to assess the impact of listening to self-selected music during anesthesia induction and emergence on patient well-being, as measured by four specific questions:
- I enjoyed listening to the music I chose, during the anesthesia induction and emergence.
- Listening to the music I chose, during anesthesia induction and emergence had an anxiety relieving effect.
- Listening to the music I chose, during anesthesia induction and emergence had a stress-relieving effect.
- The next time I have a general anesthesia, I would like to listen to self-selected music during anesthesia induction and emergence.
These questions will be answered using a Likert scale (strongly disagree - disagreee - neither agree nor disagree - agree - strongly agree).
Measured: Postoperatively before discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
Secondary outcomes (6)
Sex-specific differences regarding the primary objective
Measured: Postoperatively before discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)
State Anxiety Inventory (SAI): pre- and postoperatively Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI): preoperatively
Measured: Pre- and postoperatively
NASA Task Load Index (attending anesthesiologist)
The NASA Task Load Index will be completed twice by the attending anesthesiologist in the presence of the study team: once after anesthesia induction, once patient stability and adequate anesthesia are confirmed, and again after anesthesia delivery, once the patient is stable in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and all relevant information has been relayed to the PACU team.
Measured: After anesthesia induction + after handover to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) team
Attempts at airway management
Intubation attempts Attempts to place a laryngeal mask
Measured: After anesthesia induction
Adverse events
Including but not limited to:
Difficult intubation > 3 attempts Respiratory complications (e.g. bronchospasm, laryngospasm) Hemodynamic complications (severe hypotension (MAP >50 for more than 5 minutes), severe bradycardia (heart rate < 40)) Cardiac arrest
Measured: During surgery
Postoperative pain in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
Opioid equivalents Non-opioid analgetic medication
Measured: During the stay in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Oct 2025
- Study start5 Jun 2025
- Primary completion9 Apr 2026
- Study completion1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Perioperative AnxietyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Medical University of ViennaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Medical University of Vienna
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Marion Wiegele, Medical University of Vienna
- Investigators
- Marion Wiegele, Priv.-Doz. DDr., Principal investigator, Medical University of Vienna
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07206186
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1166/2025
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 20 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Music Listening During Anesthesia Induction and Emergence: Assessing Its Role in Enhancing Patient Comfort
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07206186
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1166/2025
- Conditions
- Perioperative Anxiety
- Keywords
- Perioperative Anxiety, Music, Music intervention, State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), NASA Task Load Index, Anesthesia, Patient Comfort
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Medical University of ViennaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 9 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 3 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Perioperative anxiety remains a prevalent and significant concern for patients undergoing surgery, with substantial impacts on postoperative pain perception, patient satisfaction and recovery. Historically, anxiolytics (e.g. benzodiazepines) were often routinely administered preoperatively in this context, accepting the potential negative side effects of pharmacotherapy. In recent literature, there is an increasing focus on alternative, non-pharmacological methods for anxiety reduction, such as music, music therapy, virtual reality, and hypnosis.
Music can represent an effective and cost-efficient option to reduce perioperative anxiety and stress. Most randomized controlled trials on this topic (music group vs. non-music group) have been conducted in pediatric patient populations, often showing significant results (i.e. significantly less anxiety in the music group, measured using standardized scales or inventories). In adult patient populations, considerably fewer randomized controlled trials with music interventions for perioperative anxiety reduction have been conducted so far.
This study aims to evaluate the role of music during anesthesia induction and emergence for perioperative anxiety reduction in a randomized controlled trial. Patients will be randomized preoperatively into either the intervention group (50 patients, music) or the control group (50 patients, no music), and a baseline level of preoperative anxiety will be assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). In the intervention group, music of the patient's choice will be played starting from their arrival in the operating room during anesthesia induction, and again after the end of surgery during emergence from anesthesia. Afterwards, the effects of the music intervention on the patients' subjective well-being will be assessed in the intervention group postoperatively before discharge from the recovery room using four specific questions. In both groups, the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) portion of the STAI will also be administered and the results compared.
In addition, the NASA Task Load Index will be administered to the attending anesthesiologists in both groups to evaluate whether the subjective workload of the anesthesiologists changes as a result of the music intervention.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Music group | Experimental | Other: MusicAfter randomization, the intervention group will be asked which type of music they would like to listen to during anesthesia induction and emergence. Upon arrival in the operating room, the selected music will be played from a wireless speaker at approximately 50-60 dB. The volume will be continuously monitored using a sound level meter and adjusted as needed. The music will stop once the airway is secured by the attending anesthetist (i.e. following endotracheal intubation or placement of a laryngeal mask). Music will resume after the surgery is completed, the bandage (if required) has been applied, and the administration of anesthetic medication has ceased. Music will be paused again after anesthesia emergence as the patient leaves the operating room. |
| Control group | No intervention | –The control group will not receive music during anesthesia induction or emergence. However, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) will be administered preoperatively as well as the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) portion of the STAI postoperatively. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Written informed consent
- Elective ophthalmological surgery under general anesthesia (e.g. strabismus surgery, cataract surgery or other lens surgery, glaucoma surgery, keratoplasty or other corneal transplantation, vitrectomy or other retinal surgery, lacrimal duct surgery)
- Age: 18-70 years
- ASA score I-II (American Society of Anesthesiologists)
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Pre-existing psychiatric disorder (e.g. anxiety disorder, PTSD, depression)
- Chronic pain patients
- Language barrier
- Anticipated difficult airway
- Pregnancy
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| MusicMusic as per patient choice | Other | Music group |
Primary outcome
Impact of listening to self-selected music during anesthesia induction and emergence on patient well-being
Time frame: Postoperatively before discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial is to assess the impact of listening to self-selected music during anesthesia induction and emergence on patient well-being, as measured by four specific questions: 1. I enjoyed listening to the music I chose, during the anesthesia induction and emergence. 2. Listening to the music I chose, during anesthesia induction and emergence had an anxiety relieving effect. 3. Listening to the music I chose, during anesthesia induction and emergence had a stress-relieving effect. 4. The next time I have a general anesthesia, I would like to listen to self-selected music during anesthesia induction and emergence. These questions will be answered using a Likert scale (strongly disagree - disagreee - neither agree nor disagree - agree - strongly agree).
6 secondary outcomes
Sex-specific differences regarding the primary objective
Time frame: Postoperatively before discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)
Time frame: Pre- and postoperatively
NASA Task Load Index (attending anesthesiologist)
Time frame: After anesthesia induction + after handover to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) team
Attempts at airway management
Time frame: After anesthesia induction
Adverse events
Time frame: During surgery
Postoperative pain in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
Time frame: During the stay in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Marion Wiegele, Priv.-Doz. DDr. principal investigator
Medical University of Vienna
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Music in people with Perioperative Anxiety, run by Medical University of Vienna at 1 site in Austria.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Austria. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Impact of listening to self-selected music during anesthesia induction and emergence on patient well-being (time frame: Postoperatively before discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Jul 2026.