Virtual reality to prevent delirium in the ICU
Official title: VR for ICU Delirium Prevention
Run by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · NCT07357389 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try daily 15-minute virtual reality sessions to see if they reduce delirium in high-risk, non-intubated adult surgical ICU patients.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 822 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Los Angeles, California) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 10, 2026 |
| Main results expected | January 15, 2028 |
| Study ends | April 2028 |
| Registry record updated | March 17, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07357389 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adult surgical ICU patients at Cedars-Sinai who are non-intubated, CAM-ICU negative at enrollment, expected to stay in the ICU >48 hours, have a RASS between −1 and +2, and have at least one delirium risk factor.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients unlikely to benefit include those who are intubated or unable to wear a VR headset, have recent seizures or severe motion sickness, cannot follow commands, or cannot consent or understand instructions.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a single-center, randomized intervention in adult surgical ICU patients at Cedars-Sinai who are CAM-ICU negative but have at least one established delirium risk factor. Participants are randomized to standard ICU care or standard care plus once-daily 15-minute immersive VR sessions showing calming nature scenes with guided meditation and music. Outcomes include the incidence and duration of delirium, ICU and hospital length of stay, feasibility of delivering VR in the ICU, and the frequency of adverse events. The intervention targets a high-risk population with a non-pharmacologic approach intended to be simple to deliver at the bedside.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could lower how often and how long patients experience ICU delirium and potentially shorten ICU and hospital stays using a non-drug therapy.
How similar studies have gone: VR has shown promise for anxiety, pain, and sleep in hospitalized patients and small pilot work suggests potential to reduce delirium risk, but definitive multicenter evidence for ICU delirium prevention is limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Individuals who are currently admitted to the SICU at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center * Expected ICU stay \>48 hours * Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) score between -1 to +2. * CAM-ICU negative * 1≤ risk factor for delirium (Age ≥ 65 years old, history of cognitive impairment, sepsis, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score \>5, history of alcohol or benzodiazepine abuse, recent major surgery) Exclusion Criteria: * Unwilling and/or unable to participate * Intubation of tracheostomy * Self-reported history of severe motion sickness * Inability to follow commands (e.g. severe aphasia, deafness, GCS\<13) * The presence of a facial/head deformity that will prohibit the wearing of a VR head mounted device (HMD * Those that require corrective lenses -2.5 or stronger that cannot be corrected with contact lenses * Having had a seizure in the past year * Unable to understand the instructions or to consent to participation in the study. * Those who are pregnant * Hemodynamic instability (MAP\<65 despite support) * End-of-life care * Severe agitation or delirium (i.e. CAM-ICU + screen)
Where it's running
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Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Devon S Callahan, MD — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Devon S Callahan, MD
- Email: devon.callahan@cshs.org
- Phone: 310-423-2402
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.