The effectiveness of digital health technologies for patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review
IntroductionDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. At the same time, digital health technologies (DHTs), which include mobile health apps (mHealth) have been rapidly gaining popularity in the self-management of chronic diseases, particularly following the COV...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2022.936752/full |
| _version_ | 1798030797244989440 |
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| author | Sebastian Stevens Sebastian Stevens Susan Gallagher Tim Andrews Tim Andrews Liz Ashall-Payne Liz Ashall-Payne Lloyd Humphreys Simon Leigh Simon Leigh |
| author_facet | Sebastian Stevens Sebastian Stevens Susan Gallagher Tim Andrews Tim Andrews Liz Ashall-Payne Liz Ashall-Payne Lloyd Humphreys Simon Leigh Simon Leigh |
| author_sort | Sebastian Stevens |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. At the same time, digital health technologies (DHTs), which include mobile health apps (mHealth) have been rapidly gaining popularity in the self-management of chronic diseases, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while a great variety of DM-specific mHealth apps exist on the market, the evidence supporting their clinical effectiveness is still limited.MethodsA systematic review was performed. A systematic search was conducted in a major electronic database to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mHealth interventions in DM published between June 2010 and June 2020. The studies were categorized by the type of DM and impact of DM-specific mHealth apps on the management of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was analysed.ResultsIn total, 25 studies comprising 3,360 patients were included. The methodological quality of included trials was mixed. Overall, participants diagnosed with T1DM, T2DM and Prediabetes all demonstrated greater improvements in HbA1c as a result of using a DHT compared with those who experienced usual care. The analysis revealed an overall improvement in HbA1c compared with usual care, with a mean difference of –0.56% for T1DM, –0.90% for T2DM and –0.26% for Prediabetes.ConclusionDM-specific mHealth apps may reduce HbA1c levels in patients with T1DM, T2DM and Prediabetes. The review highlights a need for further research on the wider clinical effectiveness of diabetes-specific mHealth specifically within T1DM and Prediabetes. These should include measures which go beyond HbA1c, capturing outcomes including short-term glycemic variability or hypoglycemic events. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:47:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-80cf9768a1954a939b13f4d02fa9d922 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-6616 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:47:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-80cf9768a1954a939b13f4d02fa9d9222022-12-22T04:06:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare2673-66162022-10-01310.3389/fcdhc.2022.936752936752The effectiveness of digital health technologies for patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic reviewSebastian Stevens0Sebastian Stevens1Susan Gallagher2Tim Andrews3Tim Andrews4Liz Ashall-Payne5Liz Ashall-Payne6Lloyd Humphreys7Simon Leigh8Simon Leigh9Research Department, Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications, Daresbury, United KingdomCentre for Health Technology, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United KingdomResearch Department, Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications, Daresbury, United KingdomResearch Department, Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications, Daresbury, United KingdomWarwick Medical School (WMS), The University of Warwick, Coventry, United KingdomResearch Department, Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications, Daresbury, United KingdomWarwick Medical School (WMS), The University of Warwick, Coventry, United KingdomResearch Department, Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications, Daresbury, United KingdomResearch Department, Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications, Daresbury, United KingdomWarwick Medical School (WMS), The University of Warwick, Coventry, United KingdomIntroductionDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. At the same time, digital health technologies (DHTs), which include mobile health apps (mHealth) have been rapidly gaining popularity in the self-management of chronic diseases, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while a great variety of DM-specific mHealth apps exist on the market, the evidence supporting their clinical effectiveness is still limited.MethodsA systematic review was performed. A systematic search was conducted in a major electronic database to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mHealth interventions in DM published between June 2010 and June 2020. The studies were categorized by the type of DM and impact of DM-specific mHealth apps on the management of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was analysed.ResultsIn total, 25 studies comprising 3,360 patients were included. The methodological quality of included trials was mixed. Overall, participants diagnosed with T1DM, T2DM and Prediabetes all demonstrated greater improvements in HbA1c as a result of using a DHT compared with those who experienced usual care. The analysis revealed an overall improvement in HbA1c compared with usual care, with a mean difference of –0.56% for T1DM, –0.90% for T2DM and –0.26% for Prediabetes.ConclusionDM-specific mHealth apps may reduce HbA1c levels in patients with T1DM, T2DM and Prediabetes. The review highlights a need for further research on the wider clinical effectiveness of diabetes-specific mHealth specifically within T1DM and Prediabetes. These should include measures which go beyond HbA1c, capturing outcomes including short-term glycemic variability or hypoglycemic events.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2022.936752/fulldiabetes mellitusHbA1cglycemic controlmobile appsmhealth |
| spellingShingle | Sebastian Stevens Sebastian Stevens Susan Gallagher Tim Andrews Tim Andrews Liz Ashall-Payne Liz Ashall-Payne Lloyd Humphreys Simon Leigh Simon Leigh The effectiveness of digital health technologies for patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare diabetes mellitus HbA1c glycemic control mobile apps mhealth |
| title | The effectiveness of digital health technologies for patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review |
| title_full | The effectiveness of digital health technologies for patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review |
| title_fullStr | The effectiveness of digital health technologies for patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effectiveness of digital health technologies for patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review |
| title_short | The effectiveness of digital health technologies for patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review |
| title_sort | effectiveness of digital health technologies for patients with diabetes mellitus a systematic review |
| topic | diabetes mellitus HbA1c glycemic control mobile apps mhealth |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2022.936752/full |
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