E-Health Interventions to Improve Health Outcomes in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease that involves damage to one or more organs and systems. E-Health technologies have been used to improve the quality of care and to minimize the cost of rehabilitation services. This study aimed to provide the most recent and convincing evidence on the rehabilitation effects of e-Health interventions compared to conventional treatments. Methods: A systematic review was conducted. Inclusion criteria were defined following PICO recommendations (i.e., populations, intervention, comparison and outcome measures). Methodological quality and risk-of-bias were assessed for each study. Results: Six studies met the inclusion criteria, providing data on 743 individuals with SLE. Results indicated that e-Health interventions improved health outcomes, such as disease management or emotional status. Methodological quality was moderate and low risk-of-bias was found in the majority of the studies included. Conclusions: For patients with SLE, e-Health interventions are a safe rehabilitation intervention to improve health outcomes. However, more high-quality studies with large samples are needed, with a focus on the long-term outcomes of e-Health interventions for patients with SLE.