Use of Music and Voice Stimulus on Coma Patients

Use of Music and Vocal Stimulus in Patients in Coma State - Relations Between Auditory Stimulus, Vital Signs, Face Expression and Glasgow Coma Scale or Ramsay Scale

Objectives: (1) To check music and voice message influence on vital signs and facial expressions of patients in physiological or induced comas; (2) To connect the existence of patient's responsiveness with the Glasgow Coma Scale or with the Ramsay Sedation Scale.

Method: This was a randomized controlled clinical trial with 30 patients, from two Intensive Care Units, being divided in 2 groups (control and experimental). Their relatives recorded a voice message and chose a song according to the patient's preference. The patients were submitted to 3 sessions for 3 consecutive days.

The relatives elaborated a voice recorded message and choose a music according to the patient preference, which were recorded in the same Compact Disc. Two identical CD's were made at the same recorded time; one with and another one without stimulus in order to make the random division of the groups. The patients were evaluated according to one of the Scales; they used earphones. During the sessions, the data relating to the vital signs and the face expression were recorded in a data collection instrument.

Inclusion Criteria:

• To be in coma;
• To be evaluated according to one of the Scales and to have a score in the study range: in physiological comas, score between 3 to 8 Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS); in induced coma, one of the last two scores of Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS), R5 or R6;
• To have hearing function preserved according to family;
• To have written consent from the family or responsible party for the patient's participation in the research.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Score between 9 to 15 in GCS or scores R1, R2, R3 or R4 in RSS