The effects of WeChat-based educational intervention in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a randomized controlled...

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), as a common inflammatory rheumatic disease, often causes depression and impaired health-related quality of life (QoL). Although positive effects of patient education have been demonstrated, limited studies explored the benefits of education via mobile applications for AS patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the WeChat-based educational intervention on depression, health-related QoL, and other clinical outcomes in AS patients.

We conducted a single-blind randomized controlled trial from March to December 2017. Patients were recruited and randomized into the intervention group which received a 12-week WeChat-based educational intervention (consisting of four individual online educational sessions, online educational materials) or the control group receiving standard care. Data was collected at baseline and 12 weeks. Outcomes were measured by Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Health Survey (SF-36), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Patient Global Score (BAS-G), and visual analog scales.

A total of 118 patients with AS were included and analyzed. Measures at baseline were comparable between groups. After the intervention, the intervention group reported significant higher scores of all domains of SF-36 except for physical functioning and validity, compared with the control group. Additionally, patients in the intervention group had lower depressive symptoms than the control group. No significant difference in other outcomes was observed at 12 weeks.

This study found that the 12-week educational intervention via WeChat had positive effects on reducing depressive symptoms and improving health-related QoL in Chinese patients with AS. We suggest that this intervention can be integrated into current routine care of AS patients.

This study has been approved by the hospital's ethics committee (ID: 20160364) in 2016 and registered at the Chinese Clinical Trail Registry (registry number: ChiCTR-IPR-16009293 ).