Electric Toy Car to Reduce Anxiety Before a Cardiac Catherization: Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Anxiety before an invasive intervention is associated in children with persistent psychological disorders. We studied the effect of the transfer to the catheterization room by an electric toy-car on the anxiety of children and their parents before a cardiac catheterization. Forty-eight children with a median age of 5.6 years [4.2-7.0] were randomized to either riding on an electric car to go to the catheterization laboratory or being transported lying supine on a gurney. Anxiety assessments were performed by a physician blinded to allocation group on the day before the procedure (T0) and at anesthesia induction (T1). The modified Yale score (mYPAS-SF) and visual analog scale for anxiety (VAS-A) were used in the children, and the VAS-A in the parents. The mYPAS-SF, VAS-A-child and the VAS-A-parent scores were significantly higher at T1 than at T0 (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.005, respectively). The primary outcome (the median mYPAS-SF score at T1) was not significantly different in the two groups when males and females were combined. At T1, the VAS-A-child score, however, was significantly lower in the intervention than the control group (22 versus 55, P < 0.001). In the boys, the median mYPAS-SF score at T1 was significantly lower in the intervention group (25.0 versus 51.0, P = 0.024). No difference was observed in girls. The VAS-A parent score was lower at T1 in the intervention group (60 versus 87, P = 0.05). Conclusion : Riding to the catheterization laboratory on an electric toy car decreased anxiety at anesthesia induction in boys and also decreased parental anxiety. Clinical trial Registration : Registration number: ID-RCB: 2019-A00459-48. Date of registration: March 27th 2019.