Technological nursing interventions on nutritional status of middle-aged and older adults undergoing hemodialysis: A systematic review.
Amélia Pernas, Sara Pires, Idalina Gomes and 2 others
PMID 41069774WHAT IT FOUND
Nurse-led digital education, telenursing, and apps were linked to improvements in phosphorus, potassium, self-care, and quality of life in hemodialysis patients, but evidence was short-term and a malnutrition reduction was not confirmed.
Key findings
01The review included 10 studies and 988 patients undergoing hemodialysis.
02A smartphone phosphorus-control program reported reductions in potassium levels of up to 0.5 mEq/L and phosphorus levels of up to 0.97 mg/dL.
03In a dietary care model, malnutrition prevalence fell from 28% at baseline to 23% after six months and 20% after 12 months, but the difference was not statistically significant.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included only 10 studies and 988 patients, so the evidence base is small. Most studies followed patients for up to 3 to 6 months, so long-term benefit is unknown. Study designs and outcomes varied, so the papers could not be compared directly. Searches were limited to English, Portuguese, or Spanish and to selected databases, which may have missed relevant studies. Most studies came from Asia, Australia, and Iran, so results may not transfer to other settings. The review mixed technological, non-technological, and observational predictor studies, so it cannot show which component caused any change. The included studies were not all randomized trials, so it is harder to know whether the interventions caused the changes.
Declared interests
This work was funded by national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UIDB/04923. The authors declared there is no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these improvements as proof that any app or telenursing call works long term. The review included few studies, short follow-up, heterogeneous designs, and a malnutrition reduction was not significant.