Mobile health technologies for the management of rheumatic diseases: a systematic review of online stores in Brazil.

Rheumatic diseases are serious conditions with a low uptake of conservative treatments. Mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) offer potential to assist the self-management of rheumatic diseases. Our goal was to perform a systematic review of available mHealth apps for rheumatic diseases in Brazil. We focused on the most prevalent rheumatic diseases: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoporosis, and axial spondylarthritis. Google Play Store and AppStore in Brazil were queried by two independent reviewers on September 2020, and the quality of eligible mHealth apps was assessed using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Of the 3173 mHealth apps found, five were eligible for inclusion. Two for fibromyalgia and two for axial spondylarthritis offered exercise, educational content, and tools to track patient-reported symptoms; and one for osteoporosis offered educational content and tracking tools only. The included apps scored moderately on the MARS quality scale, with a mean score (SD) of 3.1 (0.7) on a 0-5 scale. Most apps scored poorly based on credibility, user interface and experience, and engagement. There is growing interest in the development of mHealth technologies to support rheumatic diseases patients. Although the majority of the included apps came from non-profit organizations, they are still of poor quality and limited functionality. This study is a call for to the development of new user-centered mHealth apps that can empower rheumatic diseases patients in Brazil, especially in the area of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus, since no apps were found.

Knee osteoarthritis: key treatments and implications for physical therapy.

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic progressive disease that imparts a substantial socioeconomic burden to society and healthcare systems. The prevalence of knee OA has dramatically risen in recent decades due to consistent increases in life expectancy and obesity worldwide. Patient education, physical exercise, and weight loss (for overweight or obese individuals) constitute the first-line knee OA treatment approach. However, less than 40% of patients with knee OA receive this kind of intervention. There is an unmet need for healthcare professionals treating individuals with knee OA to understand the current recommended treatment strategies to provide effective rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: To guide physical therapists in their clinical decision making by summarizing the safest and most efficacious treatment options currently available, and by delineating the most traditional outcome measures used in clinical research for knee OA. CONCLUSION: There is a need for healthcare providers to abandon low-quality and ineffective treatments and educate themselves and their patients about the current best evidence-based practices for knee OA.