OBJECTIVE: To identify and summarize the published and gray literature on the use of telemedicine for the diagnosis and management of inflammatory and/or autoimmune rheumatic disease. METHODS: We performed a registered systematic search (CRD42015025382) for studies using MEDLINE (1946 to July 2015), Embase (1974 to July 2015), Web of Science (1900 to July 2015), and Scopus (1946 to July 2015) databases. We included studies that demonstrated the use of telemedicine for diagnosis and/or management of inflammatory/autoimmune rheumatic disease. Following data extraction, we performed a descriptive analysis. RESULTS: Our literature search identified 1,468 potentially eligible studies. Of these studies, 20 were ultimately included in this review. Studies varied significantly in publication type, quality of evidence, and the reporting of methods. Most demonstrated a high risk of bias. Rheumatoid arthritis was the most commonly studied rheumatic disease (42% of patients). Studies demonstrated conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of telemedicine (18 found it effective, 1 found it effective but possibly harmful, and 1 found it ineffective). A limited number of studies included some component of a cost analysis (n = 6; 16% of patients); all of these found telemedicine to be cost-effective. CONCLUSION: Studies identified by this systematic review generally found telemedicine to be effective for the diagnosis and management of autoimmune/inflammatory rheumatic disease; however, there is limited evidence to support this conclusion. Further studies are needed to determine the best uses of telemedicine for the diagnosis and management of these conditions.
OBJECTIVE: To identify and summarize the published and gray literature on the use of telemedicine for the diagnosis and management of inflammatory and/or autoimmune rheumatic disease. METHODS: We performed a registered systematic search (CRD42015025382) for studies using MEDLINE (1946 to July 2015), Embase (1974 to July 2015), Web of Science (1900 to July 2015), and Scopus (1946 to July 2015) databases. We included studies that demonstrated the use of telemedicine for diagnosis and/or management of inflammatory/autoimmune rheumatic disease. Following data extraction, we performed a descriptive analysis. RESULTS: Our literature search identified 1,468 potentially eligible studies. Of these studies, 20 were ultimately included in this review. Studies varied significantly in publication type, quality of evidence, and the reporting of methods. Most demonstrated a high risk of bias. Rheumatoid arthritis was the most commonly studied rheumatic disease (42% of patients). Studies demonstrated conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of telemedicine (18 found it effective, 1 found it effective but possibly harmful, and 1 found it ineffective). A limited number of studies included some component of a cost analysis (n = 6; 16% of patients); all of these found telemedicine to be cost-effective. CONCLUSION: Studies identified by this systematic review generally found telemedicine to be effective for the diagnosis and management of autoimmune/inflammatory rheumatic disease; however, there is limited evidence to support this conclusion. Further studies are needed to determine the best uses of telemedicine for the diagnosis and management of these conditions.
Authors: John D FitzGerald; Michael Battistone; Calvin R Brown; Amy C Cannella; Eliza Chakravarty; Allan C Gelber; Carlos J Lozada; Marilynn Punaro; Barbara Slusher; Abby Abelson; David A Elashoff; LaTanya Benford Journal: Arthritis Rheum Date: 2013-12
Authors: P Leggett; L Graham; K Steele; A Gilliland; M Stevenson; D O'Reilly; R Wootton; A Taggart Journal: Br J Gen Pract Date: 2001-09 Impact factor: 5.386
Authors: Katherine A Poulsen; Catherine M Millen; Umayal I Lakshman; Petra G Buttner; Lynden J Roberts Journal: Int J Rheum Dis Date: 2014-12-20 Impact factor: 2.454
Authors: Jennifer Irvin Vidrine; Sanjay Shete; Yumei Cao; Anthony Greisinger; Penny Harmonson; Barry Sharp; Lyndsay Miles; Susan M Zbikowski; David W Wetter Journal: JAMA Intern Med Date: 2013-03-25 Impact factor: 21.873
Authors: Elizabeth D Ferucci; Peter Holck; Gretchen M Day; Tammy L Choromanski; Sarah L Freeman Journal: Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) Date: 2020-10 Impact factor: 4.794
Authors: Rachel A Matsumoto; Bryant R England; Ginnifer Mastarone; J Steuart Richards; Elizabeth Chang; Patrick R Wood; Jennifer L Barton Journal: Mil Med Date: 2020-12-30 Impact factor: 1.437
Authors: Brent A Luedders; Tate M Johnson; Harlan Sayles; Geoffrey M Thiele; Ted R Mikuls; James R O'Dell; Bryant R England Journal: Semin Arthritis Rheum Date: 2020-06-17 Impact factor: 5.532