Effect of virtual reality on pain during burn dressing in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Background: Burn dressing, a necessary and regular procedure for burn management, causes significant pain and distress for children. Recent technological advancements in VR have opened up new possibilities for pain management in children undergoing burn dressing. However, there is limited evidence regarding their efficacy in burn dressing specifically. This study aims to synthesize and analyze the effect of VR on pain during burn dressing in children. Methods: In this review, we investigated studies from PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and Google Scholar databases that met inclusion criteria. We also assessed the studies' methodological quality with the Cochrane and JBI checklists. This study was performed based on the Guidelines of Systematic Reporting of Examination presented in the PRISMA checklist. The search protocol has been registered at the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. Results: A total of six published studies including 241 pediatric patients were included in this review. The meta-analysis results showed a significant effect of VR intervention on the pain levels of children (Hedge's g = −1199, Q = 31,106, I2 = 83,926%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Findings from this study show that VR is a promising and effective intervention for reducing pain scores in children undergoing dressing changes for burn injuries. Implacation to practice: Our meta-analysis suggest that the significant potential of integrating VR into clinical practice, presenting a non-pharmacological intervention to reduce pain during dressing changes in pediatric burn patients. Implementing VR in healthcare settings can lead to improved pain management and better patient outcomes for pediatric population. © 2023 Elsevier Inc.