Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), controlled trials, case series and case studies of all types of burn injury patients who received virtual reality and pharmacologic analgesics in the process of wound dressing changes and physiotherapy management were eligible for inclusion in the review. Eligible comparators were pharmacologic analgesics alone (such as opioids, anaesthetics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or other distractors (such as standard video games and television). Participants were eligible regardless of receipt of pharmacologic analgesics prior or during the virtual reality intervention. Primary outcomes of interest were pain (measured by visual analogue scale, numeric rating pain scale, graphic rating scale, FACES pain scale or any similar measurement tool) and anxiety (measured by burn specific pain anxiety scale, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scale or any similar measurement tool).
Most studies were conducted in USA in a hospital setting. Participant ages ranged (where reported) between five and 65 years. Virtual reality was most commonly offered during wound dressing changes or wound care. Virtual reality interventions included three different video games (reported in the paper). A range of included pharmacological analgesia was reported.
Two reviewers independently selected studies for inclusion.