Research Appraisals
Evidence-based critical appraisals of the latest medical research, systematically evaluated using Oxford CEBM methodology.
Showing 3 appraisals
American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation
Virtual Reality-assisted Physiotherapeutic Training for Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR)-assisted physiotherapy in improving pain, physical function, and balance in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) compared with traditional rehabilitation treatments. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RESULTS: This analysis included 5 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The pooled results showed that, compared with consistency rehabilitation, virtual reality (VR)-assisted physiotherapy produced significantly better outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) for pain relief (SMD = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.14-0.65, P = 0.002), physical function (SMD = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.05-0.70, P = 0.003), and balance (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.16-0.72, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Virtual reality-assisted physiotherapy is an effective intervention for patients with knee osteoarthritis, showing superior outcomes in pain reduction, functional improvement, and balance enhancement compared to traditional rehabilitation approaches.
18 July 2026
Read appraisal →JMIR formative research
Effects of Virtual Reality on Postoperative Pain Management Following Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery: Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain and anxiety remain common concerns after minimally invasive gynecologic surgery despite advances in surgical techniques and analgesic strategies. Virtual reality (VR) has been investigated as a potential nonpharmacological intervention for pain management; however, evidence in gynecologic postoperative settings is limited. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of VR technology compared with standard postoperative analgesia for pain and anxiety management in patients undergoing minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in China. A total of 131 patients undergoing laparoscopy or combined hysteroscopy for benign gynecologic diseases were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a VR group (n=68) or a control group (n=63). All patients received a standardized general anesthesia protocol intraoperatively. The control group received conventional analgesic therapy after surgery, and the VR group received a 20-minute VR intervention 6 hours postoperatively. The pain and anxiety levels were evaluated using a visual analog scale at 6 and 7 hours postoperatively. The primary outcome was the change in pain scores between 6 and 7 hours. Secondary outcomes included maximum pain score, anxiety score changes, length of hospital stay, hospitalization costs, and occurrence of adverse events. Analyses were performed according to the intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the primary outcome between the VR and control groups (mean difference 0.169, 95% CI -0.271 to 0.608; P=.45). Similarly, no significant differences were observed in the maximum pain score (mean difference 0.839, 95% CI -0.101 to 1.779; P=.08), and no improvement was observed in the anxiety score (mean difference 0.042, 95% CI -0.365 to 0.449; P=.84). No significant differences were found in length of hospital stay, hospitalization costs, or incidence of adverse events, including dizziness, nausea, and vomiting (all P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: A single 20-minute VR intervention did not provide additional analgesic or anxiolytic benefit compared with standard postoperative care after minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. VR was well tolerated, and its role in postoperative recovery requires further investigation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2400091244; https://tinyurl.com/4b92a9td.
5 July 2026
Read appraisal →Science advances
Smart contact lens-trained digital twin for device-free personalized uric acid prediction
Tears contain valuable biomarkers and offer potential for noninvasive disease monitoring. However, the lack of correlation analysis between serum uric acid (SUA) and tear uric acid (TUA) has limited their clinical application in personalized medicine. Here, we present a wireless smart contact lens capable of real-time, noninvasive monitoring of TUA as an alternative to blood-based UA testing. We validated the device through correlation analysis in rabbits and human participants, including individuals with hyperuricemia and gout. Daily-life monitoring enabled personalized characterization of TUA fluctuations in response to food intake and physical activity, together with individualized lag time profiling. A strong linear relationship allowed development of a regression model to derive estimated SUA from TUA. Building on these temporal profiles, lifestyle-informed digital twins were constructed to predict daily uric acid dynamics without continuous lens wear. This digital twin-enabled, device-free framework provides a practical route toward unobtrusive and personalized metabolic health monitoring.
27 June 2026
Read appraisal →