Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: Jan 12, 2025
Date Accepted: Aug 25, 2025
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
The effect and safety of app-based interventions for populations with osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
ABSTRACT
Background:
Interventions based on apps are becoming increasingly popular for the treatment of osteoarthritis, but research on the potential moderators of treatment efficacy is lacking.
Objective:
To examine the treatment efficacy, cost-effective, and safety associated with app-based interventions for populations with osteoarthritis and identify the potential factors associated with better treatment outcomes.
Methods:
PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from their inception to September 19, 2024. Including randomized controlled trial on app-based interventions for osteoarthritis patients that report efficacy or health economic outcomes. The primary outcome measure is the change in pain intensity before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes included function, quality of life, adverse events and self-management.
Results:
The review includes 14 studies, comprising 12 randomized controlled trials and two health economics studies, with 1,410 participants. Compared with controls, app-based interventions reduction in pain and improvement in physical function (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.58 to -0.14; P < 0.001; I2 = 72% and SMD = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.62; P < 0.001; I2 = 67%; respectively), but no significance for quality of life and adverse events (SMD = 0.23; 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.50; P = 0.10; I2 = 68% = 1.33; 95% CI: 0.84 to 2.12; P = 0.23; I2= 7%; respectively). Subgroup analysis revealed a significant difference between those aged ≥ 60 years and those aged < 60 years (SMD = -0.29; 95%CI: -0.51 to -0.06 and SMD = -0.84; 95%CI : -1.25 to -0.43).
Conclusions:
This study showed that app-based interventions are safe and effective for osteoarthritis patients, which might provide a cost-effective option, especially in resource-limited settings. Age is a critical factor for optimizing treatment benefits especially when considering individual needs. Clinical Trial: Prospero CRD42024559569
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