Objective: This study was designed to establish whether an arts intervention is feasible during an inpatient hospitalization for selected chronic, disabling neurologic illnesses.

Background: During planned elective admission for treatment of refractory migraine or drug-resistant epilepsy, patients have significant distress. Whether an arts intervention in this setting might have mitigating effects on distress and disease burden is unknown. There is reported potential benefit to listening to certain types of music in epilepsy, but the feasibility of introducing arts into the inpatient setting during which standard medical interventions are in progress is relatively unexplored.

Methods: Eighty-six eligible patients were invited to participate in artist-led creative sessions (music, visual art, creative writing) while inpatient at Dartmouth Hitchcock. The artists allowed the patients to dictate the length and direction of the session after a brief introduction of the art modality. Primary outcome included patient ability to complete an arts session. Secondary outcomes included patient reported depression, anxiety and distress measures pre/post session, seizure or headache requiring rescue medication during or immediately after.

Results: Sixty-one(61)% of eligible epilepsy patients and forty-four (44)% of headache patients consented.  Completion of writer, visual artist and musician sessions occurred 82%, 100%, and 100% of planned. For headache patients, scores for pre-versus post-intervention PHQ-9, GAD7, and distress scores showed a decrease overall (P=0.052:P=0.076:P=0.0072, respectively). Scores in epilepsy patient did not improve significantly post-intervention. Pain medication usage increased 24 hours after the session in headache patients (P=0.051). Possible clinical seizures occurred during visual art session in 3/7 patients, however EEG confirmation of epileptic seizure was seen in only one patient.

Conclusions: Arts intervention was feasible for certain neurological inpatients. Epilepsy patients were more likely to agree to participate, but migraine patients experienced greater relief of distress after participation. A randomized study to evaluate quality of life benefit is planned.