Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Oct 30:6:e5846.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.5846. eCollection 2018.

Effectiveness of telephone-based interventions for managing osteoarthritis and spinal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Kate M O'Brien  1   2   3 , Rebecca K Hodder  1   2   3 , John Wiggers  1   2 , Amanda Williams  1   2   3 , Elizabeth Campbell  1   2 , Luke Wolfenden  1   2 , Sze Lin Yoong  1   2 , Flora Tzelepis  1   2 , Steven J Kamper  3   4 , Christopher M Williams  1   2   3
Affiliations

Effectiveness of telephone-based interventions for managing osteoarthritis and spinal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Kate M O'Brien et al. PeerJ. .

Abstract

Background: Osteoarthritis and spinal pain are common and burdensome conditions; however, the majority of patients with these conditions do not receive care that is consistent with clinical practice guidelines. Telehealth models of care have the potential to improve care for osteoarthritis and spinal pain patients. The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of verbal real-time telehealth interventions, including telephone-based and videoconferencing interventions to reduce pain intensity and disability in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip and spinal pain (back or neck pain).

Methods: We searched seven electronic databases from inception to May 2018. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster-RCTs, and non-randomised controlled trials were included. Two review authors independently extracted data for each included study. Primary outcomes were pain intensity and disability. We conducted primary meta-analyses combining all conditions with similar interventions and comparators. Standardised mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random effects models. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool to assess risk of bias, and GRADE to evaluate the quality of evidence.

Results: We included 23 studies with 56 trial arms and 4,994 participants. All studies utilised telephone-based interventions. Only two studies used a telephone only approach and the remainder included educational materials and/or face-to-face components. We found no studies utilising videoconferencing. Meta-analysis showed telephone-based interventions (with educational materials) for osteoarthritis and spinal pain improved pain intensity (n = 5 trials, n = 1,357 participants, SMD -0.27, 95% CI [-0.53, -0.01], Tau2 = 0.06, I 2 = 74%; moderate-quality evidence) and disability (n = 7 trials, n = 1,537 participants, SMD -0.21, 95% CI [-0.40, -0.02], Tau2 = 0.03, I 2 = 56%; moderate-quality evidence) compared to usual care. Meta-analyses found telephone with face-to-face interventions does not improve pain and disability compared to usual care or face-to-face care alone.

Discussion: We are moderately confident that telephone-based interventions reduce pain intensity and disability in patients with osteoarthritis and spinal pain compared to usual care, but telephone plus face-to-face interventions are no more effective than usual care or face-to-face interventions alone.

Keywords: Disability; Intervention; Meta-analysis; Osteoarthritis; Pain; Spinal pain; Systematic review; Telephone.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flow diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ackerman IN, Buchbinder R, Osborne RH. Factors limiting participation in arthritis self-management programmes: an exploration of barriers and patient preferences within a randomized controlled trial. Rheumatology. 2013;52(3):472–479. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kes295. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Allen KD, Oddone EZ, Coffman CJ, Datta SK, Juntilla KA, Lindquist JH, Walker TA, Weinberger M, Bosworth HB. Telephone-based self-management of osteoarthritis: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2010;153(9):570–579. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-153-9-201011020-00006. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Allen KD, Oddone EZ, Coffman CJ, Jeffreys AS, Bosworth HB, Chatterjee R, McDuffie J, Strauss JL, Yancy WS, Datta SK, Corsino L, Dolor RJ. Patient, provider, and combined interventions for managing osteoarthritis in primary care: a cluster randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2017;166(6):401–411. doi: 10.7326/M16-1245. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Allen KD, Yancy WS, Bosworth HB, Coffman CJ, Jeffreys AS, Datta SK, McDuffie J, Strauss JL, Oddone EZ. A combined patient and provider intervention for management of osteoarthritis in veterans: a randomized clinical trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2016;164(2):73–83. doi: 10.7326/M15-0378. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing . Telehealth. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing; 2015.

LinkOut - more resources