Effects of tibetan music on neuroendocrine and autonomic functions in patients waiting for sur- gery: a randomized, controlled study

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of listening to Tibetan music on anxiety and endocrine, autonomic, cognitive responses in patients waiting for urologic surgery. Methods Sixty patients waiting for surgery were enrolled to the study. They were randomized in music (M) and control (C) groups. The M listened to a low frequency Tibetan music for 30 min (T0-T30) through headphones, the C wore headphones with no sound. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire (STAI) Y-1 was administered at T0 and T30. Normalized low (LFnu) and high frequencies (HFnu) of heart rate variability, LF/HF ratio and galvanic skin response (GRS) data were analyzed at T0, T10, T20, T30, T35. The salivary α-amylase (sAA) samples were collected at T0, T35, T45. Results In M the STAI Y-1 score decreased at T30 vs baseline (p<0.001), sAA levels decreased at T35 vs T0 (p=0.004), GSR remained unchanged. In C the STAI Y-1 score remained unchanged, sAA level increased at T35 vs T0 (p <0.001), GSR slightly increased at T35 vs baseline (p=0.359). LFnu was lower and HFnu was significantly higher (T10-T30) in M vs C. Mean LF/HF ratio slightly reduced in M. Conclusions Our results suggest that preoperative listening to relaxing Tibetan music might be a useful strategy to manage preoperative anxiety.