PDF icon Download PDF
Appl Clin Inform 2025; 16(03): 676-688
DOI: 10.1055/a-2563-9069
Research Article

Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of Telemedicine in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Meta-analysis

Haiyang Kou
1   College of Acumox and Tuina, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gui Yang, Guizhou, China
,
Bo Chen
1   College of Acumox and Tuina, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gui Yang, Guizhou, China
› Author Affiliations
Funding This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number: 81860882).
› Further Information
Also available ateRef
   Permissions and Reprints
Preview

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of telemedicine in improving the corresponding indicators in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

Computer searches of PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were conducted to collect journal articles on randomized controlled trials and clinical trials of telemedicine interventions for RA. A meta-analysis was performed using the risk-of-bias assessment tool Reedman 5.4 software from the Cochrane Handbook.

Results

The systematic assessment includes 17 studies totaling 2,324 patients, with a middling level of quality across the included research. The findings of this study demonstrated that individuals with RA had better treatment efficiency in C-reactive protein than those in the control group (mean difference [MD] = − 21.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = − 49.57 to 7.23; p < 0.00001), Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life (MD = − 1.97, 95% CI = − 6.13 to 2.19; p = 0.01), and visual analog scale pain (MD = − 8.53, 95% CI = − 22.70 to 5.64; p = 0.04).

Conclusion

Patients with RA can access specialists worldwide through telemedicine, which can raise the overall quality of care for RA patients. It has shown to be quite successful in identifying and evaluating disease activity. By making patient-centeredness a central factor in the decision-making process, telemedicine improves equitable results and offers customized treatment regimens.

Keywords

rheumatoid arthritis - telemedicine - telehealth - eHealth - arthritis

Protection of Human and Animal Subjects

All analyses were based on previous published studies; thus, no ethical approval and patient consent are required.




Publication History

Received: 11 November 2024

Accepted: 20 March 2025

Article published online:
23 July 2025

© 2025. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany