Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jul 1, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Jul 1, 2025 - Aug 26, 2025
Date Accepted: Jan 7, 2026
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
The Effects of Digital Health Interventions on Motor Symptoms, Non-Motor Symptoms, and Quality of Life in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
ABSTRACT
Background:
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with increasing global prevalence, necessitating innovative management strategies. Digital health interventions (DHIs) offer potential advantages in PD care, yet a comprehensive synthesis is still lacking.
Objective:
The aim was to assessed the effectiveness and feasibility of DHIs in improving motor symptoms, non-motor symptoms, and quality of life in PD patients.
Methods:
We searched Pubmed, Ovid Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and APA PsycInfo up to January 2025. Pooled standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses, meta-regression, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to address heterogeneity and bias.
Results:
The study included 101 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 5,095 participants. The significant post-intervention improvements was identified in motor symptoms (SMD = −0.40, 95% CI [−0.59, −0.21]) and overall non-motor symptoms (SMD = −0.19, 95% CI [−0.37, −0.02]), including cognitive function (SMD = 0.47, 95% CI [0.25, 0.69]) and psychiatric symptoms (SMD = −0.35, 95% CI [−0.61, −0.10]); however, there was no significant enhancement in quality of life (SMD = −0.20, 95% CI [−0.44, 0.04]). The improvements in motor symptoms, cognitive function, and psychiatric symptoms remained stable at follow-up assessments. Meta-regression analysis indicated that age and percentage of females were significant sources of heterogeneity. We also provide a tabular summary of the reach, uptake, and feasibility.
Conclusions:
These findings support DHIs as promising non-pharmacological tools for PD management, yet they highlight the need for more high-quality evidence, especially from low- and middle-income countries. Clinical Trial: PROSPERO CRD42023492123
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