Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39844155›Full record

Trial reportBMC complementary medicine and therapies2025

Differential effects of sound interventions tuned to 432 Hz or 443 Hz on cardiovascular parameters in cancer patients: a randomized cross-over trial.

Anna Hohneck, Ánxelo Maia Rodríguez, Simone Weingärtner, Kirsten Merx, Felicitas Sarodnick, Fritjof von Gagern, Athanasios Mavratzas, Iris Burkholder, Gerhard Schumacher, Wolf-Karsten Hofmann and 1 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

11 authors.

Anna Hohneck *Department of Cardiology, Angiology, Haemostaseology and Medical Intensive Care, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany. annalena.hohneck@umm.de.
Ánxelo Maia Rodríguez *Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Simone WeingärtnerDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Kirsten MerxDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Felicitas SarodnickDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Fritjof von GagernMusikalische Akademie Mannheim e.V., Mannheim, Germany.
Athanasios MavratzasDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Iris BurkholderDepartment of Nursing and Health, University of Applied Sciences of the Saarland, Saarbruecken, Germany.
Gerhard SchumacherinmediQ GmbH, Butzbach, Germany.
Wolf-Karsten HofmannDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Ralf-Dieter HofheinzDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study investigated whether a sound intervention tuned to 432 Hz (Hz) yields differential effects on cardiovascular parameters and psychological outcomes compared to 443 Hz, which is the concert pitch in German professional orchestras.

methodsUsing a randomized cross-over design, patients with cancer were recruited to receive both a 15-minute sound intervention with a body monochord tuned to 432-443 Hz. Before (pre) and after (post) intervention, cardiovascular parameters were measured using the VascAssist2.0. In addition, visual analogue scales (VAS) for emotional well-being, anxiety, stress, pain and sadness were also assessed pre and post intervention.

results43 patients (8 male, 35 female) with a median age of 61 years (range 35-86) were included. Both interventions led to a significant reduction in heart rate with a more pronounced effect for 432 Hz (median reduction - 3 bpm (432 Hz) vs. median reduction - 1 bpm (443 Hz), p = 0.04). While heart rate variability was increased exclusively by 432 Hz (median increase + 3 ms, p = 0.01), both vascular resistance (median reduction - 5%, p = 0.008) and stiffness (median reduction %, p = 0.04) were significantly reduced by 432 Hz, which was not observed at 443 Hz. Nevertheless, these effects were not significantly different compared to 443 Hz. On the other hand, 432 Hz led to a reduced pulse wave velocity (median reduction - 0.5 m/s, p < 0.001), which was also significantly different compared to 443 Hz (p < 0.001). Improvement in VAS was observed for both groups, with significant increases in emotional well-being and reduction in fatigue, anxiety and stress for both intervention timepoints, although the majority showed no increased VAS scores even before the intervention (median values 0 for anxiety and stress).

conclusionSound interventions tuned to 432-443 Hz exert both positive effects in cancer patients. While psychological outcomes are improved by both interventions, 432 Hz leads to a more pronounced but not significantly different effect to 443 Hz on objective cardiovascular parameters, which reflect deeper relaxation.

Indexed as

Heart RateMusic TherapyNeoplasmsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Over StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedCardiovascular parametersConcert pitchSound interventionTuning

Identifiers

PMID39844155
PMCPMC11755923

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.