The Effect of Virtual Reality on Pain, Physical Function, and Health-related Quality of Life in Children With Sickle Cell Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Phase: NA
Conditions: SCD
Sponsor: Afnan Bkri

 
 
 
 
 
 

Title: The effect of virtual reality on pain, physical function, and health-related quality of life in 
children with sickle cell disease: A randomized controlled trial 
Significance or rationale of the study:  
Virtual reality (VR) is a promising non-pharmacological pain management tool. It enhances motor 
function by promoting cortical reorganization and neuroplasticity. Its multimodal biofeedback 
engages sensory and cognitive functions, making therapy interactive, motivating, and easy to 
understand. With strong rehabilitation potential, VR helps patients adapt to real-world movements 
(Laver, 2020). Initially used for procedural pain management, VR is now expanding into chronic 
pain rehabilitation by encouraging engagement with difficult or avoided movements (Griffin et al., 
2020). Additionally, VR offers a dynamic alternative to traditional exercises, improving adherence 
and outcomes. Integrating entertainment into therapy can motivate children, enhancing their 
physical and psychological well-being. Recently, a few studies revealed an improvement in vaso-
occlusive episodes (VOE) after VR treatment (Agrawal et al., 2019). However, efficacy studies 
are needed to assess VR's potential benefits. Additionally, data regarding VR's efficacy on daily 
pain, functional mobility, and HRQOL as complementary therapy are limited 
The objectives:  This study aimed to assess the impact of VR on daily pain, functional mobility, 
and HQOL 
Methods: In this single-blind Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), 42 children aged 8 to 13 with 
SCD were included. They were divided into an intervention group (group I, n=21) and a control 
group (group II, n=21). Group I received one session of fully immersive VR for 15 minutes 
during hospitalization (Phase One). After discharge (Phase Two), Group I participants received 
fully immersive VR for 40 minutes twice /week over three weeks (six sessions) besides 

medications. Yet, Group II received the prescribed drugs. Pain intensity was measured using the 
Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and functional mobility was assessed with the Time UP and GO 
TUG test. The PedsQLTM 3.0 SCD module was used to measure the PedsQL. 
Outcomes: Investigate VR's effect on reducing daily pain in children with SCD
 
and
 
evaluate its 
impact on improving functional mobility in these children. 
Examine the changes in PedsQL in children with SCD after engaging in VR experiences. 5- To 
evaluate the safety and satisfaction of fully immersive VR therapy in children with 
SCD. 
Sta*s*cs: Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 29.0. Descriptive statistics 
(means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages) were calculated to summarize 
demographic and baseline characteristics. The normality of continuous variables was assessed 
using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. 
Due to the non-normal data distribution, the Mann-Whitney
 
U test  was used to compare pain 
intensity scores measured by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) between intervention and control 
groups. Within-group comparisons of pre- and post-intervention scores were also conducted. 
Safety outcomes from the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire were analyzed using the Chi-square 
test to detect any significant changes in symptoms pre- and post-intervention. 
Satisfaction scores from the VR Satisfaction Likert survey were analyzed descriptively, and the 
Mann-Whitney U test was applied to compare satisfaction across age groups. 
A significance level of p < 0.05 was used for all inferential statistical tests.