Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38355563›Full record

SynthesisBMC medicine2024

Efficacy of virtual reality for pain relief in medical procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jhia J Teh, Dominic J Pascoe, Safiya Hafeji, Rohini Parchure, Adam Koczoski, Michael P Rimmer, Khalid S Khan, Bassel H Al Wattar

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 50 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
50citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
95.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

NCT07338292 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

VIrtual Reality Induced Pain and anxiEty Relief in Outpatient UROlogical Procedures: a Post-marketing Clinical Investigation of REALICA

TypeinterventionalSponsorIstituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCSRan2025 to 2026Enrolled56ConditionsUrologic Diseases, Prostate Biopsy, Flexible Cystoscopy, CircumcisionArmsREALICA, Clinical Practice
NCT07752680 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

The Effect of Virtual Reality Headset Use on Pain, Comfort, and Psychosocial Symptoms in Children Undergoing Hypospadias Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

TypeinterventionalSponsorIstanbul Medipol University HospitalRan2025 to 2026Enrolled62ConditionsPain, Comfort, Psychosocial SymptomsArmsVirtual reality headset, routine clinical practice
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

50 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 86 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Jhia J TehDepartment of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Dominic J PascoeSchool of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
Safiya HafejiKings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, Brixton, London, UK.
Rohini ParchureUniversity College London, London, UK.
Adam KoczoskiDepartment of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Michael P RimmerMRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. michael.rimmer@ed.ac.uk.
Khalid S KhanDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.
Bassel H Al WattarUniversity College London, London, UK.
Imperial College London · GBUniversity College London · GBCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública · ESKing's College Hospital · GBMRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine · GBUniversity of St Andrews · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/N022556/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEffective pain control is crucial to optimise the success of medical procedures. Immersive virtual reality (VR) technology could offer an effective non-invasive, non-pharmacological option to distract patients and reduce their experience of pain. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Immersive virtual reality (VR) technology in reducing patient's pain perception during various medical procedures by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.

methodsWe searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and SIGLE until December 2022 for all randomised clinical trials (RCT) evaluating any type of VR in patients undergoing any medical procedure. We conducted a random effect meta-analysis summarising standardised mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We evaluated heterogeneity using I

resultsIn total, we included 92 RCTs (n = 7133 participants). There was a significant reduction in pain scores with VR across all medical procedures (n = 83, SMD - 0.78, 95% CI - 1.00 to - 0.57, I

conclusionsImmersive VR technology offers effective pain control across various medical procedures, albeit statistical heterogeneity. Further research is needed to inform the safe adoption of this technology across different medical disciplines.

Indexed as

Pain ManagementVirtual RealityAdultChildHumansPainAnalgesiaPainSystematic reviewVirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID38355563
PMCPMC10865524
OpenAlexW4391818233

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.