Abstract

BackgroundIn the last years, the rise of personalized medicine has grown up. So, patient-oriented wearable technologies have been developed. Wearable devices (WD) are useful to collect objective data related to physical activity. In the management of rheumatic musculoskeletal disorders (RMDs) a regular physical activity is an important recognized non-pharmacological intervention [1].ObjectivesThis systematic review aims at evaluating how the use of WDs impacts physical activity in patients with non-inflammatory and inflammatory rheumatic diseases.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. A comprehensive search of articles was performed in the following databases: MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Scopus. A random-effect meta-analysis has been carried out on the number of steps and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Univariable meta-regression models have been computed to assess the possibility that the study characteristics may act as effect modifiers on the final meta-analysis estimate. The primary outcome is the level of physical activity evaluated with a wearable device as a number of daily steps and MVPA. The secondary outcome is the comparison of both a number of steps and MVPA to reference value for healthy people. The number of steps per day and the time spent in MVPA considered as a mean or median were collected. Missing information was calculated from available data when possible.The reference value for steps was 7000 steps per day, this value was derived by a literature review commissioned by the Public Health Agency of Canada on the number of steps/day suitable for adults [2]. MVPA reference value was of 150 min/week and was derived by WHO guidelines [3].ResultsAn overall of 1788 studies was considered in the title/abstract screening. In the analysis, 51 articles were included, with an overall of 7488 participants. Twenty-two studies considered MVPA outcome alone, 16 studies number of steps alone and 13 studies reported information on both outcomes.The results of this meta-analysis show that there is a high level of I2 heterogeneity, 99%, according to diagnosis.Recommended threshold for daily steps was reached for MVPA (36.35, 95% CI 29.39 - 43.31) but not for daily steps (-1092.60, 95% CI -1640.42 - -544.77), with fibromyalgia reporting a higher number (6290, 95% CI 5198.65 – 7381.62) of daily steps compared to other RMDs. Patients affected by chronic inflammatory arthropathies seem to fare better in terms of daily steps than the other categories. Patients with rheumatoid or other chronic arthritis reported a higher number of steps, respectively 6361 (95% CI 5382.51; 7340.35) and 6290.14 (95% CI 5198.65; 7381.62).Non-elderly people show a higher overall level of physical activity compared to the elderly, 6796.11 (95% CI 5974.10; 7618.13) versus 5431.85 (95% CI 4633.76; 6229.95).Non-elderly group show higher level MVPA compared to the reference value 38.96 (95% CI 18.35; 59.68) vs 11.77 (95% CI 3.32; 20.21).ConclusionRMDs suffer of low level of physical activity and WDs are useful and affordable instruments to support the increase of it. WDs can be used in daily monitoring of physical activity in RMDs.

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