The provision of written information and its effect on levels of pain and anxiety during electrodiagnostic studies: A randomised controlled trial

Objective
The provision of written information is a low-cost and readily available intervention that has been found to reduce pain and anxiety in a variety of clinical settings. The current study was undertaken to determine if information provision may improve patients’ experience during conventional electrodiagnostic studies.
Methods
128 participants were recruited from a tertiary teaching hospital who were referred for electrodiagnostic studies. They were randomized into 2 groups where the intervention group was provided with written information about the electrodiagnostic testing. Patients were invited to complete a questionnaire that included pain and anxiety using a visual analogue scale (VAS) following the testing. All participants underwent nerve conduction studies (NCS) whilst a subset also underwent subsequent needle electromyography (EMG).
Results
Those who received information had a statistically significant lower perception of anxiety during NCS, whilst only females who received information had a statistically significant lower perception of pain to both NCS and EMG.
Conclusions
The provision of written information can reduce the degree of pain and anxiety experienced during electrodiagnostic testing.
Significance
Improving patient comfort and tolerability during electrodiagnostic testing may have practical implications towards more reliable and accurate results obtained from such investigations that may in turn improve patient diagnosis and management.

研究目的
书面信息提供是一种低成本且易于实施的干预手段，已被证实可在多种临床场景中减轻患者的疼痛与焦虑。本研究旨在探讨书面信息提供是否能够改善患者在常规电诊断检查（electrodiagnostic studies）过程中的就医体验。
研究方法
本研究从某三级教学医院招募了128名因需接受电诊断检查而转诊的受试者。将受试者随机分为两组，其中干预组受试者将获得关于本次电诊断检查的书面说明材料。检查结束后，邀请所有受试者填写调查问卷，问卷采用视觉模拟评分法（visual analogue scale, VAS）评估其疼痛与焦虑程度。所有受试者均接受了神经传导检查（nerve conduction studies, NCS），其中部分受试者还额外完成了后续的针电极肌电图（needle electromyography, EMG）检查。
研究结果
接受书面信息指导的受试者在神经传导检查过程中的焦虑感知程度显著更低；仅接受书面信息指导的女性受试者，在接受神经传导检查与针电极肌电图检查时的疼痛感知程度均显著更低。
研究结论
提供书面信息可降低电诊断检查过程中患者所感受到的疼痛与焦虑程度。
研究意义
改善电诊断检查过程中患者的舒适度与耐受度，有助于提升此类检查结果的可靠性与准确性，进而优化患者的诊断与治疗管理方案。