Empowering Parkinson’s Disease Management Through Mobile Applications: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Although numerous mobile applications have been developed for Parkinson's disease, their effectiveness in improving clinical outcomes remains uncertain. Objective: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mobile applications for Parkinson's disease in both diagnosis and self-management. Methods: A review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, Ovid Medline, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE for articles related to mobile applications in Parkinson’s Disease published between 2011 and 10 November 2024. This systematic review and meta-analyses were performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The quality of the selected studies was assessed. Results: Nineteen studies involving 1080 participants across ten countries were included in this review. These studies included 15 cross-sectional studies and 4 randomized-controlled trials. Mobile applications were used for symptom monitoring, medication reminders, exercise, rehabilitation, and diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. A meta-analysis of four randomized controlled trials found no significant difference between mobile application interventions and control groups (overall standard mean difference = –1.12, 95% CI –5.53 to 3.29, p = 0.62). Subgroup analyses revealed no significant effect for either motor (standard mean difference = 0.02, 95% CI –0.41 to 0.46, p=0.91) or non-motor symptoms (standard mean difference = –777.73, 95% CI –2306.27 to 750.80, p=0.32). Conclusion: Due to the limited number and heterogeneity of existing studies, the evidence regarding to the effectiveness of mobile applications in Parkinson's disease remain inconclusive. Further research is needed to strengthen the evidence and assess the clinical benefits of mobile applications in the management of Parkinson's disease.