Otolaryngology (ENT)

mHealth rehab improves QoL and psychosocial symptoms after head and neck cancer.

Meta-analysis of 26 RCTs (2385 participants) found mHealth interventions improved quality of life (SMD 0.64, 95% CI 0.41–0.88). mHealth reduced anxiety (SMD −0.75) and depression (SMD −0.89) and lowered fatigue and pain with small-to-moderate effects. Swallowing function reached only borderline significance and maximal interincisal opening did not improve. Certainty of evidence was rated low to very low, and shorter programs with home practice and self-monitoring showed stronger effects. 1

Perspective: weight loss pharmacotherapy is changing care for obesity-related OSA.

New potent obesity drugs have produced marked weight loss and improved OSA severity in recent trials. These data supported the first FDA approval of a weight-loss medication for OSA. The authors note uncertainty about which trial strategies will deliver equitable real-world outcomes. Clinical adoption should consider access, long-term effectiveness, and integration with existing OSA therapies. 2

OPTION instruments show limited, setting-dependent shared decision-making.

Systematic review of 174 studies (~20,000 consultations) reported mean OPTION-12 score 25.1 and OPTION-5 score 31.8 in non-intervention settings. Postintervention scores were higher (OPTION-12 38.4; OPTION-5 47.7), but heterogeneity was high and overall improvement since 2015 was minimal. Multivariable analyses identified clinical setting (OPTION-12) and consultation duration (OPTION-5) as primary predictors of higher scores. The authors caution that the clinical meaning of modest OPTION score changes remains unclear. 3