Among ICU patients receiving acute ventilatory support for respiratory failure, patient-directed music (PDM) resulted in greater reduction in anxiety compared with usual care, but not compared with NCH. Concurrently, PDM resulted in greater reduction in sedation frequency compared with usual care or NCH, and greater reduction in sedation intensity compared with usual care, but not compared with NCH. The mean age was 59 years with a wide range of APACHE III scores. The primary indication for mechanical ventilation was respiratory failure or distress. Only median ICU days prior to enrollment were significantly different at study entry; NCH patients were in the ICU 1 to 2 days longer prior to enrollment than PDM or usual care patients. Randomized clinical trial that enrolled 373 patients from 12 intensive care units (ICUs) at 5 hospitals in the Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota, area receiving acute mechanical ventilatory support for respiratory failure between September 2006 and March 2011.

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