Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study: Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy on Preoperative Anxiety in Breast Patients

Surgery Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Randomized Prospective Placebo-Controlled Study of the Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy on Preoperative Anxiety in Breast Surgery Patients

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01837966
• Other study ID #: 12-03152
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• First received: April 18, 2013
• Last updated: April 23, 2015
• Start date: January 2013
• Est. completion date: December 2015

Study information

• Verified date: April 2015
• Source: New York University School of Medicine
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The study is designed to see if lavender aroma therapy reduces pre-operative anxiety in breast surgery patients.

Description:

Many patients undergoing surgery experience anxiety in the preoperative setting. Pharmacologic anxiolytics require monitoring and cause excess sedation which often interferes with the ability to assess and obtain consent from a patient in the preoperative holding area. Lavender aromatherapy is an alternative treatment for anxiety which is safe, inexpensive, easy to administer, and not overly sedating. In addition to its benefits in the preoperative setting, anxiolysis and reduction in sympathetic drive can lead to reduction in the intraoperative anesthetic and postoperative analgesic requirements. This in turn can lead to faster recovery and expedited discharge from the post anesthesia care unit.

In the proposed study, we would evaluate the efficacy of aromatherapy with lavender oil in reducing anxiety prior to breast surgery. The study group would receive lavender oil preoperatively and the placebo group would receive unscented oil preoperatively. Before and after treatment, anxiety level would be measured using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Additionally, vital signs and Bispectral index (BIS) will be measured before and after treatment, as further indicators of anxiety level. We hypothesize that lavender aromatherapy will decrease anxiety and subsequently will reduce blood pressure, heart rate, and BIS.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 93
• Est. completion date: December 2015
• Est. primary completion date: September 2013
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria: Female; Age 18+; American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I-III; undergoing elective breast surgery

Exclusion Criteria: Male; History of asthma/bronchitis/Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)/contact dermatitis to cosmetic fragrances/pregnancy; significant laboratory abnormalities.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Anxiety Disorders
• Anxiety; Generalized
• Breast Diseases
• Surgery

Intervention

Other:
• Lavender oil
2 drops for aromatherapy
• Placebo
2 drops unscented mineral oil for aromatherapy

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	NYU Langone Medical Center	New York	New York

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
New York University School of Medicine

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (7)

Barocelli E, Calcina F, Chiavarini M, Impicciatore M, Bruni R, Bianchi A, Ballabeni V. Antinociceptive and gastroprotective effects of inhaled and orally administered Lavandula hybrida Reverchon "Grosso" essential oil. Life Sci. 2004 Nov 26;76(2):213-23. — View Citation

Kil HK, Kim WO, Chung WY, Kim GH, Seo H, Hong JY. Preoperative anxiety and pain sensitivity are independent predictors of propofol and sevoflurane requirements in general anaesthesia. Br J Anaesth. 2012 Jan;108(1):119-25. doi: 10.1093/bja/aer305. Epub 2011 Nov 13. — View Citation

Kim S, Kim HJ, Yeo JS, Hong SJ, Lee JM, Jeon Y. The effect of lavender oil on stress, bispectral index values, and needle insertion pain in volunteers. J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Sep;17(9):823-6. doi: 10.1089/acm.2010.0644. Epub 2011 Aug 19. — View Citation

Moss M, Cook J, Wesnes K, Duckett P. Aromas of rosemary and lavender essential oils differentially affect cognition and mood in healthy adults. Int J Neurosci. 2003 Jan;113(1):15-38. — View Citation

Nelson JP, Glassburn AR Jr, Talbott RD, McElhinney JP. Horizontal flow clean room. Bacteriologic studies. Rocky Mt Med J. 1975 Jun;72(6):243-6. — View Citation

Oliphant SS, Lowder JL, Ghetti C, Zyczynski HM. Effect of a preoperative self-catheterization video on anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. Int Urogynecol J. 2013 Mar;24(3):419-24. doi: 10.1007/s00192-012-1868-y. Epub 2012 Jul 3. — View Citation

Orbach-Zinger S, Ginosar Y, Elliston J, Fadon C, Abu-Lil M, Raz A, Goshen-Gottstein Y, Eidelman LA. Influence of preoperative anxiety on hypotension after spinal anaesthesia in women undergoing Caesarean delivery. Br J Anaesth. 2012 Dec;109(6):943-9. doi: 10.1093/bja/aes313. Epub 2012 Sep 10. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Anxiety Reduction	We hoped to show that lavender aroma therapy reduces preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing breast. The Trait subscale (STAI-TRAID) of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered before and after 10 minutes of aromatherapy treatment pre-surgery. The TRAIT subscale contains 20 questions scored on a Likert scale from 1-4; item scores are summed for a total score ranging from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating higher anxiety. Change in anxiety was calculated as the score pre-aromatherapy minus the score post-aromatherapy. Higher positive change scores indicate greater reductions in anxiety.	20 minutes before surgery (pre aromatherapy) and 10 minutes before surgery (post aromatherapy)	No