Background: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, presenting significant challenges in neurorehabilitation. Sensory deprivation in comatose patients exacerbates outcomes, necessitating innovative stimulation techniques. This study explores the efficacy of auditory stimulation using job sounds to enhance the level of consciousness in comatose TBI patients.
Materials and Methods: A randomized clinical trial involving 50 comatose TBI patients hospitalized in intensive care units compared the effects of job-sound stimulation against standard care. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups of control and intervention using the block randomization method. Patients in the intervention group received recordings of their job sounds (recorded by their family/colleagues in their workplaces) twice daily for 10 days, aiming to trigger memories and cognitive associations. The level of consciousness was assessed before and after stimulation using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS).
Results: No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding demographic, disease-related variables and their baseline GCS. Post-intervention, the intervention group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in GCS scores compared to the control group (P=0.038), suggesting that job sound stimulation can significantly enhance the level of consciousness in comatose TBI patients.
Conclusion: Auditory stimulation with job-related sounds is a novel, effective sensory stimulation approach for comatose TBI patients, offering a personalized method to potentially accelerate recovery. This underscores the importance of tailored auditory stimulation in neurorehabilitation and introduces a new area for neuroscience nursing interventions to enhance comatose patient outcomes.
