Comparing Mirror and Music for Dialysis Needle Pain

NCT ID: NCT07320859

Last Updated: 2026-01-08

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

75 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-12-01

Study Completion Date

2025-12-06

Brief Summary

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Inserting needles into the vascular access (fistula) is a major source of pain and anxiety for many hemodialysis patients. This study compared two simple, non-drug techniques to reduce this pain: listening to music and looking into a mirror during the needle insertion.

A total of 75 adult patients receiving regular hemodialysis at Izmir Özel Can Dialysis Center were randomly divided into three groups: a music group, a mirror group, and a control group. Patients in the music group listened to calming, instrumental Turkish classical music (makam) via headphones during cannulation. Patients in the mirror group looked at the reflection of their healthy arm in a mirror. The control group received standard care without these interventions.

Pain intensity was measured immediately after needle insertion using a 10-cm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), where 0 means "no pain" and 10 means "the worst imaginable pain." Pain scores were compared between the groups to determine which method was more effective.

The results of this study may provide nurses and patients with easy-to-use, evidence-based options to make hemodialysis needle procedures less painful and stressful.

Detailed Description

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Study Design: This was a prospective, three-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial with a 1:1:1 allocation ratio.

Setting and Sample: The study was conducted at the Hemodialysis Unit of Izmir Özel Can Dialysis Center between December 1 and 30, 2025. The study population consisted of 150 patients. The sample size was calculated using G\*Power 3.1.9.2 software. With a significance level (alpha) of 0.05, a power (1-beta) of 80%, and an effect size of 5%, a sample of 25 patients per group (total n=75) was determined to be sufficient for a three-group comparison.

Inclusion Criteria:

Age between 18 and 85 years.

Receiving hemodialysis treatment three times per week.

Literate (able to read and write).

No hearing impairment.

Native Turkish speaker.

On hemodialysis for at least 6 months.

Baseline pain score \>3 on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

Willing to listen to music.

Exclusion Criteria:

Presence of a psychological disorder.

Communication problems.

Diagnosis of cancer.

Unwillingness to participate in the study.

Randomization: Eligible patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the Music Intervention Group, the Mirror Intervention Group, or the Control Group.

Interventions:

Music Intervention Group: During the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) cannulation procedure, patients listened to pre-selected instrumental Turkish classical music (makam), specifically Nihavend and Muhayyerkürdi maqams, via an MP3 player and headphones. The volume was adjusted to a comfortable level.

Mirror Intervention Group: During cannulation, a standard mirror (40 cm in diameter) was positioned on a table stand. It was adjusted so that patients could see the reflection of their healthy (non-cannulated) arm. The distance between the fingertips of the reflected hand and the mirror surface was approximately 30 cm. Patients were instructed to focus only on the image of their healthy hand in the mirror. The cannulation was performed in two phases: immediately after looking at the healthy hand image (incongruent phase) and after 10 minutes of adaptation to the mirror image (adaptation phase).

Control Group: Patients received standard cannulation care without any additional intervention.

Data Collection Tools:

Patient Information Form: Collected socio-demographic characteristics, dialysis duration, and details about pain (location, intensity, type, timing, cause, and coping methods).

Visual Analogue Scale (VAS): A 10-cm horizontal line used to measure pain intensity, where the left end (0 cm) represents "no pain" and the right end (10 cm) represents "the worst pain imaginable." Patients marked their current pain level on the line, and the distance from the left end was measured in centimeters to obtain a numerical score (0-10).

Procedure: After providing informed consent, all participants completed baseline assessments (Patient Information Form, VAS). The interventions were applied during subsequent cannulation sessions as described. Procedural pain was assessed using the VAS immediately after cannulation.

Conditions

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Chronic Kidney Disease Pain, Procedural Arteriovenous Fistula

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three parallel groups for the duration of the study.
Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Due to the nature of the interventions (music listening and mirror viewing), participants and the nurses providing care were not blinded to group assignment. However, the statistician who performed the final data analysis was blinded to group allocation.

Study Groups

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Mirror group

During arteriovenous fistula cannulation, patients viewed the reflection of their healthy arm in a 40-cm mirror placed approximately 30 cm away. They focused on this image for 10 minutes before cannulation (adaptation phase), and the procedure was performed while they continued to look at the mirror. The visual illusion aimed to modulate pain perception.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Mirror Therapy (Visual Illusion Therapy)

Intervention Type DEVICE

A non-pharmacological, behavioral intervention. A standard mirror (40 cm diameter) is positioned to allow the patient to view the reflection of their non-cannulated, healthy arm during arteriovenous fistula cannulation. The patient focuses on this visual illusion for an adaptation period (10 minutes) before the needle insertion. The intervention is based on the principles of graded motor imagery and aims to reduce procedural pain by modulating cortical representation and attention.

Music group

During arteriovenous fistula cannulation, patients listened to pre-selected, calming instrumental Turkish classical music (Nihavend and Muhayyerkürdi maqams) via headphones and an MP3 player at a comfortable volume. The music started before cannulation and continued throughout the procedure.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Music Therapy

Intervention Type OTHER

A non-pharmacological, complementary therapy. Patients listen to pre-recorded, instrumental Turkish classical music (specifically Nihavend and Muhayyerkürdi maqams) via headphones during the cannulation procedure. The music is selected for its calming properties and starts before needle insertion. The intervention aims to reduce pain and anxiety through auditory distraction, emotional modulation, and relaxation.

Control group

Patients received routine, standard cannulation care as per the hemodialysis unit protocol, without any additional non-pharmacological intervention such as mirror or music therapy.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Mirror Therapy (Visual Illusion Therapy)

A non-pharmacological, behavioral intervention. A standard mirror (40 cm diameter) is positioned to allow the patient to view the reflection of their non-cannulated, healthy arm during arteriovenous fistula cannulation. The patient focuses on this visual illusion for an adaptation period (10 minutes) before the needle insertion. The intervention is based on the principles of graded motor imagery and aims to reduce procedural pain by modulating cortical representation and attention.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Music Therapy

A non-pharmacological, complementary therapy. Patients listen to pre-recorded, instrumental Turkish classical music (specifically Nihavend and Muhayyerkürdi maqams) via headphones during the cannulation procedure. The music is selected for its calming properties and starts before needle insertion. The intervention aims to reduce pain and anxiety through auditory distraction, emotional modulation, and relaxation.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Being 18-85 years of age or older

* Receiving HD treatment 3 days a week
* Being able to read and write
* Having no hearing impairment
* Having Turkish as their native language
* Having received HD treatment for at least 6 months
* Having a VAS pain score \>3
* Agreeing to listen to music

Exclusion Criteria

* Having a psychological disorder

* Having communication problems
* Having cancer
* Not wanting to participate in the study
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

85 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Izmir Bakircay University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Izmir Kavram Vocational School

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Izmir Kavram

Assistant Professor Dr

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Izmir Kavram Vocational School

Konak, İzmir, Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status

Countries

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Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

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22.10.2025/2544

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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