Virtual Reality Versus Conventional Care for Relieving Perioperative Pain and Anxiety in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

eview question / Objective (1)Participants: Pediatric patients aged 2 to 18 years undergoing elective surgical procedures, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.Participants must be able to provide assent, and parents or guardians must provide informed consent.(2)Interventions: The experimental group must receive virtual reality interventions designed to relieve perioperative pain and anxiety.These interventions should be immersive and interactive, utilizing head-mounted displays or similar technology, and must be administered during the preoperative and/or intraoperative period.(3)Comparator: The control group must receive conventional care, which may include standard p re o p e r a t i v e e d u c a t i o n , p h a r m a c o l o g i c a l interventions (e.g., anxiolytics), or other non-virtual reality-based methods for pain and anxiety management.(4)Outcomes: Studies must report at least one of the following outcomes: perioperative pain levels measured using validated scales (e.g., Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale, Numeric Rating Scale), anxiety levels assessed using standardized tools (e.g., State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children), and any adverse events related to the interventions.Outcomes should be measured at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at defined postoperative time points (e.g., 24 hours, 48 hours).( 5)Study Design: Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be included in the meta-analysis, with a minimum follow-up duration of 24 hours postsurgery to assess the effectiveness of the interventions.Studies must report on blinding methods used for outcome assessment and provide clear randomization procedures Rationale The management of perioperative pain and anxiety in pediatric patients has emerged as a critical concern within clinical practice.These patients often experience heightened levels of anxiety and discomfort surrounding surgical interventions, leading to adverse outcomes such as prolonged recovery, increased pain perception, INPLASY 1International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols INPLASY Virtual Reality Versus Conventional Care for Relieving Perioperative Pain and Anxiety in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsLing，Y；Xu，XL