Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39945400›Full record

SynthesisEpilepsia2025

Clinical effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability, and usability of mobile health applications for epilepsy: A systematic review.

Evelyn Gotlieb, Shahab Marzoughi, Churl-Su Kwon, Michael Harmon, Maren Kimura, Ashley Truesdale, Chloe Sweetnam, Céline Soudant, Margaret H Downes, Neil A Busis and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Epilepsia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Evelyn GotliebIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9809-4046
Shahab MarzoughiDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0416-5812
Churl-Su KwonDepartments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Epidemiology and Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9904-2240
Michael HarmonDepartment of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
Maren KimuraDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Ashley TruesdaleDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Chloe SweetnamPetauri Kinect, New York, New York, USA.
Céline SoudantMedical Library, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
Margaret H DownesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
Neil A BusisDepartment of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Benjamin R KummerDepartment of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1413-8014
Nathalie JettéDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1351-5866

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI SELWYN M VICKERS · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mobile applications are widely used in epilepsy, although their impact on clinical effectiveness (CE) and their feasibility, acceptability, and usability (FAU) remain unclear. We conducted a systematic review investigating CE and FAU of epilepsy mobile applications using MEDLINE and Embase from database inception to June 21, 2024. We followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses reporting standards. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42019134848). In duplicate, we determined study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOQAS) and the Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Checklist (to determine eligibility for inclusion), risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and usability study quality using the 15-point Silva scale. We identified 8953 studies, of which 20 were included. Twelve (60.0%) addressed CE, nine (45.0%) acceptability, five (25.0%) usability, and eight (40.0%) feasibility. Five (25.0%) evaluated CE and FAU. Studies comprised prospective cohort (n = 9, 45.0%), pilot (n = 3, 15.0%), randomized controlled trial (n = 7, 35.0%), and pre/post (n = 1, 5.0%) designs. Most apps were used for self-management or to enhance education or communication between patients and providers. Cohort studies demonstrated fair quality (median NOQAS score = 5, interquartile range [IQR] = 5.0-5.8), whereas of seven randomized controlled trials, four (57.1%) had some concern for bias. Usability studies demonstrated high quality (median Silva score = 10, IQR = 10-11). Apps were predominantly intended for patient use (n = 9, 75.0%). Symptom reporting and medication management were the most common app targets in both CE and FAU studies (n = 8, 66.7%; n = 9, 69.2%), although FAU studies more frequently used monitoring or tracking (n = 10, 76.9%) and reminder setting (n = 10, 76.9%) than CE apps (n = 7, 58.3%). Investigations of application use most commonly studied CE and patient-facing apps. Additional high-quality evidence is necessary to evaluate the CE and FAU of app use in epilepsy to work toward the standardization of FAU metrics and development of implementation guidelines.

Indexed as

EpilepsyMobile ApplicationsPatient Acceptance of Health CareTelemedicineFeasibility StudiesHumansTreatment Outcomedigital healthmHealthself‐efficacyself‐managementtracking

Identifiers

PMID39945400
PMCPMC12097477

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.