A systematic review of digital and imaging technologies for measuring fatigue in immune mediated inflammatory diseases

Abstract

Chronic fatigue greatly impacts the quality of life in individuals with immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID). Currently, fatigue assessment relies on patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires. A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted to explore how digital and imaging technologies have been used to measure fatigue. PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched from 2003 to June 2023. Study quality was assessed using the STROBE checklist for observational studies. The database search identified 1541 studies; 16 were selected for inclusion, including three clinical trial reports. Disease cohorts included in this review were rheumatoid arthritis, primary Sjögren’s syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and inflammatory bowel disease. The majority of the studies found significant associations between fatigue, as assessed by PROs, and various digital and imaging endpoints. However, the studies were limited by a small sample size and short duration. This review stresses the need for additional research on fatigue using innovative digital and imaging modalities.