Digital Technology in Clinical Trials for Multiple Sclerosis: Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Digital Health
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical trials face challenges in treatment delivery and disease monitoring.
• Digital technology offers potential solutions to overcome these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify and review clinical trials in multiple sclerosis (MS) that utilize digital technology.
• To understand the applications and impact of digital tools in MS research.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov databases conducted in March 2020.
• Inclusion of English-language published and unpublished trials involving MS patients and digital technology.
• Utilized specific keywords such as 'multiple sclerosis', 'clinical trial', 'app', 'digital', 'electronic', 'internet', and 'mobile'.

Main Results:

• Digital technology is integrated into MS trials for psychotherapy and motor rehabilitation (exergames, e-training, robot-assisted exercises).
• Digital tools standardize outcome measures, improving data consistency and symptom detection (e.g., electronic motor performance recording).
• Trials use digital technology for monitoring subtle symptoms (fatigue, balance), adherence, side effects, and self-assessment, enabling remote interventions.

Conclusions:

• The use of digital technology in MS clinical trials is expanding, shifting data collection from paper-based to internet-based, including at-home monitoring.
• Digital tools facilitate the detection of previously invisible clinical and treatment features.
• Remote digital interventions open new avenues for motor and cognitive rehabilitation in MS patients.