Effectiveness of rehabilitation and telerehabilitation interventions in patients with systemic sclerosis: Scoping review

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune condition affecting mainly the skin and musculoskeletal system. Clinically, SSc translates to chronic pain, fatigue and loss of functionality. Rehabilitation interventions aim to improve motor functions, relieve pain, maintain work capacity, and promote functional independence in patients with SSc. However, the effectiveness of different rehabilitation modalities, including telerehabilitation, remains insufficiently described in the literature. Methods: This review aimed to describe the effectiveness of rehabilitation and telerehabilitation focused on pain, fatigue, function/functionality, and strength in the oral region, hand, and upper limbs. A Scoping Review was carried out following the PRISMA-ScR recommendations. We searched PubMed®, Scopus®, and Embase® for studies from 2010 to 2024, including those that evaluated the effectiveness of rehabilitation and telerehabilitation interventions in SSc. Results: Our review included 29 articles, mainly from Europe (n = 16, 55%) and Asia (n = 7, 24%). Most were clinical trials (69%) with an average sample size of 58 participants. Hospital-based and combined rehabilitation modalities were the most common. Interventions showed positive effects across outcomes: improvement in pain (41%), fatigue (14%), strength (41%), and function (97%). Conclusions: Rehabilitation, including telerehabilitation, is effective in improving key symptoms in patients with SSc.Telerehabilitation is an effective and promising alternative for patients with SSc, for the reduction of pain and fatigue.