Evidence mapPaperPMID 40140982Full record

SynthesisRenal failure2025

Enhancing treatment adherence in dialysis patients through digital health interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Zhe Zhang, Xin-Ting Liang, Xu-Wei He, Xian Zhang, Rui Tang, Rui-Duo Fang, Jin-Zhu Li

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Renal failure, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
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

7 authors.

Zhe ZhangDepartment of the Six Health Care, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Xin-Ting LiangDepartment of the Six Health Care, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Xu-Wei HeChinese PLA Medical School, Beijing, China.
Xian ZhangDepartment of the Six Health Care, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Rui TangDepartment of the Six Health Care, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Rui-Duo FangDepartment of the Six Health Care, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Jin-Zhu LiDepartment of the Six Health Care, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo systematically assess the efficacy of digital health interventions (DHIs) for improving treatment adherence among dialysis patients through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

methodsFive databases were systematically searched from inception to April 2024. Meta-analyses were performed to calculate standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for adherence outcomes. Evidence quality was evaluated using the GRADE approach.

resultsSeventeen RCTs involving 1,438 dialysis patients were analyzed. DHIs significantly improved overall adherence (SMD 1.88 [95% CI: 0.46-3.29]; 4 trials, low-certainty evidence). Specifically, DHIs demonstrated large improvements in medication adherence (SMD 1.45 [95% CI 0.38-2.52]; 4 trials, 300 patients; low-certainty evidence) and dialysis treatment adherence (SMD 1.88 [95% CI 0.46-3.29]; 4 trials, 245 patients; low-certainty evidence). Moderate improvements were observed in dietary adherence (SMD 0.58 [95% CI 0.25-0.91]; 4 trials, 344 patients; moderate-certainty evidence) and fluid management adherence (SMD -0.36 [95% CI -0.64 to -0.07]; 7 trials, 619 patients; moderate-certainty evidence).

conclusionsDigital health interventions effectively enhance multiple dimensions of treatment adherence in dialysis patients, underscoring their value for incorporation into routine clinical practice.

Indexed as

Kidney Failure, ChronicRenal DialysisTreatment Adherence and ComplianceDigital HealthHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTelemedicineadherenceartificial intelligencedialysisDigital health interventionssystematic reviewtelemedicine

Identifiers

PMID40140982
PMCPMC11951323

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.