Effect of active music-based intervention conducted by music therapists or medical professionals on reducing agitation in patients with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Music-based interventions (MI), including music therapy and music medicine, have been proposed to reduce agitation in patients with dementia, yet evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews remains inconsistent. Moreover, the efficacy of MI may vary by method and professional involvement, which has not been fully examined. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of active MI conducted by music therapists or medical professionals on agitation in patients with dementia compared with those of general therapy (GT). RCTs published between January 1, 2010, and July 31, 2021, were identified from MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library. Study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. The primary outcome was the change in agitation, and subgroup analyses examined intervention type, provider, setting, frequency, and dementia severity. All outcomes were measured using standard assessment tools, and study heterogeneity was examined. The pooled effects were analyzed through meta-analysis. Nine RCTs involving 507 participants were included. No significant differences in agitation reduction were observed between the MI and GT groups (SMD = 0.01, 95% CI −0.17 to 0.19). Subgroup analyses revealed no significant differences according to therapist type, therapy format, setting, session frequency, or dementia severity. In conclusion, active MI did not show a significant advantage over GT in reducing agitation among patients with dementia. Given the limited number of high-quality RCTs, further studies are required to confirm these findings.