Trial reportPloS one2019
Virtual reality for management of pain in hospitalized patients: A randomized comparative effectiveness trial.
Trial report in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 5 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 98 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Self-Administered Skills-Based Virtual Reality Intervention for Chronic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study
The Effect of Virtual Reality on Anxiety and Pain in Patients Undergoing Gynecological Surgery; a Randomised Controlled Trial
Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality on Pain and Anxiety in Pediatric Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Access: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Using the Immersive Virtual Reality for the Management of Anxiety and Pain in Orthopedic Surgery
The Effect of Virtual Reality on Pain and Patient Satisfaction in Adults Receiving Genicular Nerve Radiofrequency Ablation
Who cites it
98 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 241 citations in OpenAlex.
- Using Virtual Reality to Improve Outcomes Related to Quality of Life Among Older Adults With Serious Illnesses: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Pooled it
- Efficacy of virtual reality for pain relief in medical procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC medicine · 2024Pooled it
- The impact of digital healthcare systems on pain and body function in patients with knee joint pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2024Pooled it
- Virtual reality and behaviour management in paediatric dentistry: a systematic review.BMC oral health · 2023Pooled it
- Virtual Reality for Chronic Pain Management Among Historically Marginalized Populations: Systematic Review of Usability Studies.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Pooled it
- A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Therapeutics for Acute Pain Management.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Effects of pre-procedural video education and intra-procedural virtual reality on anxiety and pain during flexible cystoscopy: a randomized controlled trial.BMC urology · 2026Trial
- The Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality on Anterograde Amnesia and Subjective Pain During Procedures: A Within-Subject Randomized Controlled Study.Anesthesia and analgesia · 2026Trial
- Efficacy of guided breathing virtual reality for pain management in patients with cancer undergoing percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Trial
- The effects of music and virtual reality on pain and anxiety during central venous port implantation: a randomised clinical trial.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy and Patient Education for Preoperative Anxiety in Pediatrics: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR perioperative medicine · 2025Trial
- Virtual Reality Interventions of Daily Versus Weekly Data Collection in Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Adults With Cancer: Pilot Survey Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Trial
- Virtual reality for outpatient management of cancer pain: a pilot dosing study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Trial
- The effect of virtual reality (VR) glasses and therapeutic touch (TT) on pain, anxiety, and patient satisfaction during intrauterine insemination (IUI) compared to standard care: a single-blind, randomized controlled trial.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Trial
- Enhancing social functioning using multi-user, immersive virtual reality.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Effects of Virtual Reality on Pain, Stress, and Affect in an Outpatient Chemotherapy Infusion Clinic: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Clinical journal of oncology nursing · 2025Trial
- Pain Reduction With an Immersive Digital Therapeutic in Women Living With Endometriosis-Related Pelvic Pain: At-Home Self-Administered Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Trial
- Virtually Augmented Self-Hypnosis in Peripheral Vascular Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Cardiovascular and interventional radiology · 2023Trial
- A Single Session of a Digital Health Tool-Delivered Exercise Intervention May Provide Immediate Relief from Pelvic Pain in Women with Endometriosis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Trial
38 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
18 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTherapeutic virtual reality (VR) has emerged as an effective, drug-free tool for pain management, but there is a lack of randomized, controlled data evaluating its effectiveness in hospitalized patients. We sought to measure the impact of on-demand VR versus "health and wellness" television programming for pain in hospitalized patients.
methodsWe performed a prospective, randomized, comparative effectiveness trial in hospitalized patients with an average pain score of ≥3 out of 10 points. Patients in the experimental group received a library of 21 VR experiences administered using the Samsung Gear Oculus headset; control patients viewed specialized television programming to promote health and wellness. Clinical staff followed usual care; study interventions were not protocolized. The primary outcome was patient-reported pain using a numeric rating scale, as recorded by nursing staff during usual care. Pre- and post-intervention pain scores were compared immediately after initial treatment and after 48- and 72-hours.
resultsThere were 120 subjects (61 VR; 59 control). The mean within-subject difference in immediate pre- and post-intervention pain scores was larger in the VR group (-1.72 points; SD 3.56) than in the control group (-0.46 points; SD 3.01); this difference was significant in favor of VR (P < .04). When limited to the subgroup of patients with severe baseline pain (≥7 points), the effect of VR was more pronounced vs. control (-3.04, SD 3.75 vs. -0.93, SD 2.16 points; P = .02). In regression analyses adjusting for pre-intervention pain, time, age, gender, and type of pain, VR yielded a .59 (P = .03) and .56 (P = .04) point incremental reduction in pain versus control during the 48- and 72-hour post-intervention periods, respectively.
conclusionsVR significantly reduces pain versus an active control condition in hospitalized patients. VR is most effective for severe pain. Future trials should evaluate standardized order sets that interpose VR as an early non-drug option for analgesia.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.