Patient-Centered Lupus Erythematosus Mobile Apps: Systematic Search and Cross-Sectional Evaluation by Patients and Physicians

AI Summary

Systematic search of app stores identified only two eligible lupus management apps, Lupus Log and Lupus Minder, out of 18 evaluated on both platforms.
Physicians and patients rated apps using MARS, uMARS and SUS, with Lupus Log receiving highest physician MARS 3.91/5 and patient uMARS 3.95/5.
Apps were deemed high quality, with MARS and uMARS scores above 3, and patients showed higher technical affinity than physicians (ATI 3.9 vs 3.68).

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2026 May 29;14:e73019. doi: 10.2196/73019.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Lupus erythematosus (LE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that significantly impacts patients’ quality of life. Photosensitivity is a key impairment that severely limits the quality of life, especially in cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), where exposure to sunlight can lead to rashes, exacerbations, and pain. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), other manifestations such as joint pain, fatigue, and organ damage may contribute to decreased physical function and emotional distress. Mobile health apps (MHA) offer potential support for comprehensive disease management for the symptoms mentioned above. However, there is a lack of systematic analysis of available lupus management apps.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to systematically identify publicly available German or English MHA for lupus management as well as to assess their quality by surveying both patients and physicians.

METHODS: A systematic search and assessment of German or English mobile apps for patients with lupus, available in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, was conducted independently by two reviewers. The two apps that met all relevant criteria were then reviewed independently by seven physicians using the German Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Subsequently, they were reviewed by five patients (three with SLE and two with CLE), using the user version of MARS (uMARS) and SUS. Additionally, the Affinity for Technology Interaction (ATI) scale was collected from both patients and physicians to evaluate the technical affinity in both groups.

RESULTS: In total, 29 apps were available on the Apple Store and 26 on the Google Store, with 18 apps being present and downloadable on both platforms. Of the 18 apps, 16 were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Only two apps, Lupus Log and Lupus Minder met all the required criteria and were included in the study. The mean MARS scores varied from 2.61/5 to 4.17/5 and mean SUS from 17.5/100 to 100/100 between physicians. The app with the highest mean overall MARS score was Lupus Log, which was rated with 3.91/5 on average by the physicians. Patients evaluated the app with a comparably mean uMARS score (3.95/5). Technical affinity, objectified by ATI, was higher in patients than physicians (3.9 vs 3.68).

CONCLUSIONS: Systematic identification and evaluation showed high-quality apps for patient-centered lupus MHA as indicated by MARS and uMARS scores greater than 3 for both Lupus Log and Lupus Minder.

PMID:42214032 | DOI:10.2196/73019

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