medwireNews: Results of a randomized controlled trial suggest that an internet-based self-management program is no more beneficial than an educational book for patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
The 123 participants who took part in the online intervention did not experience a significantly greater improvement in the PROMIS Self Efficacy Managing Symptoms score from baseline to week 16 than the 124 patients in the control group, with average improvements of 0.35 versus 0.94 points.
Improvements in other measures, including management of emotions, symptoms, and treatment, as well as physical function, fatigue, and pain scores, were also comparable between the two groups.
Although the internet program did not improve self-efficacy, “participants from the intervention showed overwhelming support and enthusiasm for the content and presentation on the website,” say Dinesh Khanna (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA) and fellow investigators in Arthritis Care & Research.
The 16-week online program included educational modules on topics including exercise, pain management, comorbidities, and fatigue, while participants in the control group were given an educational book covering similar topics.
medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2018 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature group