The Effectiveness of Telehealth Intervention on Chronic Kidney Disease Management in Adults: A Systematic Review

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of telehealth programs on dietary habits, quality of life, renal function, and blood pressure in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Patients and Methods

A systematic literature review was completed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. Using PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Embase, and ScienceDirect databases, articles published between 2012 and 2024 were selected using the following keywords: telehealth, eHealth, mHealth, telemedicine, telenutrition, and chronic kidney disease.

Results

A total of 13 studies—10 randomized controlled trials and 3 single-arm trials—were chosen for this review. In these trials, telehealth interventions were administered using mobile applications, phone calls, web-based communications, text messaging, wearable devices, or a combination of these tools to provide treatment for adults with CKD. Interdisciplinary collaboration between a dietitian and other health care team members was shown to improve renal function and dietary habits when providing telehealth interventions via mobile applications, phone calls, and text messaging. Web-based telehealth delivery that involves diverse health care personnel has been shown to improve the quality of life in adult patients with CKD.

Conclusion

Receiving treatment using telehealth communication methods may be a beneficial option for adult patients with CKD by enhancing accessibility, promoting multidisciplinary collaboration, and effectively managing blood pressure and dietary habits, leading to improved quality of life for patients. Future research administering homogeneous and rigorously controlled experimental methods with larger and more diverse populations, as well as longer study durations, is necessary to further elucidate the effectiveness of CKD treatment delivery via telehealth for adult patients.