The feasibility of telehealth in the monitoring of head and neck cancer patients: a systematic review on remote technology, user adherence, user satisfaction, and quality of life

Effectiveness of eHealth for Medication Adherence in Renal Transplant Recipients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

As the optimal treatment for end-stage renal disease, kidney transplantation has proven instrumental in enhancing patient survival and quality of life. Suboptimal medication adherence is recognized as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis, graft rejection, and graft loss. In recent years, the advancement of IT has facilitated the integration of eHealth technologies into medical medication management, offering potential solutions to improve patient adherence. However, their efficacy in kidney transplant recipients remains inconclusive.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth interventions in improving medication adherence among kidney transplant recipients and identify potential influencing factors.

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and Ovid databases for randomized controlled trials evaluating eHealth interventions targeting immunosuppressant medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients. The search time frame spanned from database inception to November 2024. Two investigators independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed outcomes. Primary outcomes included adherence measured by self-reported questionnaires, electronic monitoring devices, tacrolimus trough levels, intrapatient variability of tacrolimus concentrations, and the proportion of patients achieving a tacrolimus coefficient of variation <40%. Meta-analyses were performed for dichotomous data and continuous data, while narrative synthesis was applied to single studies or data unsuitable for meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted to determine whether results differed based on adherence assessment methods, follow-up duration, eHealth functionalities, delivery modes, and intervention designs. Risk of bias and evidence quality were evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 12 studies involving 1234 kidney transplant recipients were included. Significant between-group differences in adherence were observed only when assessed via electronic monitoring devices (risk ratio=1.46, P=.006; mean difference=0.37, P<.001). However, sensitivity analyses using the leave-one-out method demonstrated instability in these findings. Conflicting results or nonsignificant differences (P>.05) were identified across other outcome measures and subgroup analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

No definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding the efficacy of eHealth interventions in improving medication adherence among kidney transplant recipients, potentially due to heterogeneity in trial designs, intervention characteristics, user preferences, and variations in adherence definitions and measurement methodologies. These uncertainties are underscored by the low or very low quality of evidence, as assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. While eHealth holds promise, methodological refinements in study design and implementation remain critical. Future research should prioritize high-quality, large-scale evidence to validate its clinical efficacy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42025640638; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42025640638.

The Future of Oral Oncology: How Artificial Intelligence is Redefining Surgical Procedures and Patient Management

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS

The future of oral oncology is significantly influenced by the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, such as surgical robotics and early histopathological diagnosis and detection of diseases. This article aims to explore the transformative effects of AI on the identification and diagnosis of oral cancer, emphasising the potential improvements in patient outcomes and the effectiveness of treatment options.

METHODS

An overview of the integration of AI technologies in surgical robotics and remote monitoring systems was conducted. This included an examination of AI algorithms used in surgical procedures for oral cancer, as well as the functionalities of AI-powered remote monitoring tools in disease management and patient care.

RESULTS

The application of AI in surgical robotics has led to increased precision and accuracy in oral cancer procedures, resulting in significantly improved patient outcomes with fewer complications. Furthermore, AI-driven remote monitoring systems facilitated personalised care and timely medical interventions, which contributed to better disease management. Notable positive results observed include decreased procedure durations, reduced complications, and accelerated recovery times for patients.

CONCLUSION

The integration of AI technologies in oral oncology care has demonstrated significant potential for enhancing the quality of care, improving treatment outcomes, and streamlining clinical workflows. By leveraging AI, healthcare professionals can offer tailored treatment plans and improve long-term disease management for patients with oral cancer.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The implementation of AI in oral oncology represents an innovative approach to early detection and efficient management of oral cancer, ultimately enhancing the quality of life of the affected individuals. The findings underscore the importance of continuing to explore and adopt AI technologies to further advance healthcare delivery in oncology.

Teledentistry Applied to Health and Education Outcomes: Evidence Gap Map

BACKGROUND

Teledentistry is a field of activities that comprises information and communication technologies (ICTs) applied to dentistry, including the exchange of clinical information, patient care, and the use of educational strategies across remote distances. Its use has grown progressively over the past decades-intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic-and has been improving the provision of dental services and educational strategies ever since.

OBJECTIVE

This evidence gap map (EGM) study aims to present a collection of systematic reviews (SRs) with meta-analyses to answer the question "What are the applications of teledentistry in dental services and dental education?" by identifying gaps and current evidence on the improvement of health care and education.

METHODS

The EGM methodology has been developed by the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information and is based on the concept created by the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation. Embase, PubMed, and Virtual Health Library databases were used for the literature research, using terms for teledentistry associated with eHealth, dental education, and oral health care. The data obtained from the included studies were then characterized in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, with a matrix containing 8 intervention groups (combined interventions, e-learning and tele-education, teleconsultation and teleservice, telemonitoring, telediagnosis, telescreening, ICTs, and artificial intelligence) and 8 outcome groups (diagnosis accuracy, education and professional training, user behavior, clinical practice, patient-centered outcomes, clinical outcomes, health services management, and access to health services). The quality of the studies was assessed using AMSTAR2 (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews). The visual analytics platform Tableau (Salesforce) was used to graphically display the confidence level, number of reviews, health outcomes, and intervention effects.

RESULTS

The confidence level obtained by the criteria applied was high for 28% (19/68) of the studies, moderate for 6% (4/68), low for 15% (10/68), and critically low for 51% (35/68). Among the interventions, the ICT group stood out with 182 (36.8%) out of 494 associations, followed by interventions with e-learning and tele-education (n=96, 19.4% of associations), telediagnosis (n=67, 13.6%), and combined interventions (n=53, 10.7%). Most of the outcomes were aimed at education and professional training (97/494, 19.6% of associations), patient-centered outcomes (74/494, 15%), and health services management (60/494, 12.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

This EGM presents an overview of the contributions of teledentistry in patient care, health services, clinical practice, and education. The study results may help guide future research and policy decisions and serve as a convenient virtual tool for accessing valuable evidence-based information on teledentistry.

Remote assessment of cognition and quality of life following radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: deep-learning-based predictive models and MRI correlates

PURPOSE

Irradiation of the brain regions from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) radiotherapy (RT) is frequently unavoidable, which may result in radiation-induced cognitive deficit. Using deep learning (DL), the study aims to develop prediction models in predicting compromised cognition in patients following NPC RT using remote assessments and determine their relation to the quality of life (QoL) and MRI changes.

METHODS

Seventy patients (20-76 aged) with MRI imaging (pre- and post-RT (6 months-1 year)) and complete cognitive assessments were recruited. Hippocampus, temporal lobes (TLs), and cerebellum were delineated and dosimetry parameters were extracted. Assessments were given post-RT via telephone (Telephone Interview Cognitive Status (TICS), Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment (T-MoCA), Telephone Mini Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (Tele-MACE), and QLQ-H&N 43). Regression and deep neural network (DNN) models were used to predict post-RT cognition using anatomical and treatment dose features.

RESULTS

Remote cognitive assessments were inter-correlated (r > 0.9). TLs showed significance in pre- and post-RT volume differences and cognitive deficits, that are correlated with RT-associated volume atrophy and dose distribution. Good classification accuracy based on DNN area under receiver operating curve (AUROC) for cognitive prediction (T-MoCA AUROC = 0.878, TICS AUROC = 0.89, Tele-MACE AUROC = 0.919).

CONCLUSION

DL-based prediction models assessed using remote assessments can assist in predicting cognitive deficit following NPC RT. Comparable results of remote assessments in assessing cognition suggest its possibility in replacing standard assessments.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Application of prediction models in individual patient enables tailored interventions to be provided in managing cognitive changes following NPC RT.

A Systematic Umbrella Review of the Effects of Teledentistry on Costs and Oral-Health Outcomes

Teledentistry offers possibilities for improving efficiency and quality of care and supporting cost-effective healthcare systems. This umbrella review aims to synthesize existing systematic reviews on teledentistry and provide a summary of evidence of its clinical- and cost-effectiveness. A comprehensive search strategy involving various teledentistry-related terms, across seven databases, was conducted. Articles published until 24 April 2023 were considered. Two researchers independently reviewed titles, abstracts and full-text articles. The quality of the included reviews was critically appraised with the AMSTAR-2 checklist. Out of 749 studies identified, 10 were included in this umbrella review. Two reviews focusing on oral-health outcomes revealed that, despite positive findings, there is not yet enough evidence for the long-term clinical effectiveness of teledentistry. Ten reviews reported on economic evaluations or costs, indicating that teledentistry is cost-saving. However, these conclusions were based on assumptions due to insufficient evidence on cost-effectiveness. The main limitation of our umbrella review was the critically low quality of the included reviews according to AMSTAR-2 criteria, with many of these reviews basing their conclusions on low-quality studies. This highlights the need for high-quality experimental studies (e.g., RCTs, factorial designs, stepped-wedge designs, SMARTs and MRTs) to assess teledentistry's clinical- and cost-effectiveness.

Making decisions for follow-up chemotherapy based on digital patient reported outcomes data in patients with multiple myeloma and other M protein diseases - A mixed method study

OBJECTIVES

To test if Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) data can replace physical on-site consultation in determining if patients with multiple myeloma, AL amyloidosis, or plasma cell leukemia are ready for their next bortezomib treatment without dose reduction.

METHODS

We developed an online questionnaire addressing common side effects to bortezomib and an algorithm stratifying patients according to their responses and asked them to complete the questionnaire the day before attending the clinic. Applying a mixed-method study design of PRO data, time registrations, and interviews with patients and healthcare professionals, we tested the usability of electronic PRO data forming the basis of decision-making on whether patients are physically fit for the next treatment with an unchanged dose.

RESULTS

The questionnaire and the associated algorithm were able to identify patients who were physically fit for treatment without need for further consultation, with a positive predictive value of 98 %. The method proved to be feasible for all groups of patients regardless of age and educational level. Patients and healthcare professionals found the online questionnaire to be advantageous and flexible.

CONCLUSION

The use of PRO data to evaluate patients prior to bortezomib treatment is safe and feasible. Patients prefer to report their side effects themselves as it provides them with more freedom during their treatment.

Development of mobile health-based interventions to promote physical activity in patients with head and neck cancer: a qualitative study

Background

Despite the well-grounded benefits of physical activity (PA), poor compliance with the PA guidelines has been reported among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Mobile health (mHealth)-based interventions can help cancer survivors increase their PA levels and increase the reach or efficiency of rehabilitation services. However, there is limited knowledge about the needs and perceptions of HNC patients regarding these interventions. This study explored the perceptions and needs of HNC patients regarding mHealth-based PA programs before developing such interventions to ensure their improved effectiveness.

Study design

A constructivist qualitative study.

Methods

We purposively selected 17 adult HNC patients aged 40-80 years to determine their needs and perceptions of future mHealth-based PA programs. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted, and the data were analyzed via thematic analysis. The report followed the Consolidated Criteria for Qualitative Research Reports guidelines.

Results

Four themes were analyzed from the interview transcripts regarding the needs and perceptions of mHealth-based PA programs: (1) functionality needs; (2) system usage requirements; (3) social support; and (4) perceived barriers and facilitators. HNC patients expect highly customized and specialized mHealth interventions that consider individual factors, address their concerns about security, network, and cost, and prefer improved comfort. Moreover, they expect to receive support from their healthcare providers, families, and peers.

Conclusion

The study provides pragmatic ready-to-use recommendations to design interventions for inactive HNC patients to achieve the recommended PA levels. Future mHealth interventions should be tailored according to the needs of the HNC patients by utilizing perceived facilitators and removing perceived barriers to help them engage in PA actively.

Mobile Health Interventions to Improve Health Behaviors and Healthcare Services among Vietnamese Individuals: A Systematic Review

The purpose of this review is to summarize the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of interventions that utilize mobile health (mHealth) technology to promote health behavior changes or improve healthcare services among the Vietnamese population. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to identify studies published from 2011-2022. Studies utilizing mHealth to promote behavior change and/or improve healthcare services among Vietnamese were included. Studies that included Vietnamese people among other Asians but did not analyze the Vietnamese group separately were excluded. Three independent researchers extracted data using Covidence following PRISMA guidelines. Measures of feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy were synthesized. The ROBINS-I and RoB2 tools were used to evaluate methodological quality. Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria and included 5660 participants. Participants rated high satisfaction, usefulness, and efficacy of mHealth interventions. Short message service was most frequently used to provide health education, support smoking cessation, monitor chronic diseases, provide follow-up, and manage vaccination. Measures of feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy varied across studies; overall findings indicated that mHealth is promising for promoting lifestyle behavior change and improving healthcare services. Cost effectiveness and long-term outcomes of mHealth interventions among the Vietnamese population are unknown and merit further research. Recommendations to integrate mHealth interventions are provided to promote the health of Vietnamese people.

Psychosocial Impact of Virtual Cancer Care through Technology: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

This meta-analysis of RCTs aimed to determine whether replacing face-to-face hospital care with telemedicine deteriorates psychosocial outcomes of adult cancer patients, in terms of quality of life (QoL), anxiety, distress, and depression. RCTs on interventions aimed at improving patient psychosocial outcomes were excluded. MEDLINE, EmBASE, and PsycInfo were searched on 13 May 2022 without language or date restrictions. In total, 1400 records were identified and 8 RCTs included (4434 subjects). Study methodological quality was moderate. Statistically significant improvements were observed in favor of the intervention for QoL (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.43, p = 0.04), anxiety (SMD = −0.17, 95% CI −0.30 to −0.04, p < 0.01), and global distress (SMD = −0.38, 95% CI −0.51 to −0.25, p < 0.01). A meta-analysis on depression could not be performed. In subgroup analyses, the intervention appeared to be more beneficial for patients receiving active treatment vs. follow-up, for “other cancer types” vs. breast cancer, and for “other modes of administration” vs. telephone. Given the many potential advantages of being assisted at home, telemedicine appears to be a viable option in oncology. However, more research is necessary to determine the types of patients who may benefit the most from these alternative care modalities.