The effectiveness of disease management interventions on health-related quality of life of patients with established arthritogenic alphavirus infections: a systematic review protocol

Review question/objective The objective of the proposed systematic review is to critically analyze currently available research studies and present the best available evidence related to the effectiveness of disease management interventions on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with established arthritogenic alphavirus infections. The primary review question is: What is the effectiveness of clinical manifestations management interventions on HRQOL outcomes among patients with established arthritogenic alphavirus infections? The secondary review questions are: What is the effectiveness of early diagnosis of disease on HRQOL outcomes among patients with established arthritogenic alphavirus infections? What is the effectiveness of arthritogenic alphavirus infections education on HRQOL outcomes among patients with established arthritogenic alphavirus infections? Inclusion criteria Types of participants This systematic review will include patients with established arthritogenic alphavirus infections of all ages and stages of infection. Arthritogenic alphavirus infections will include infection from the following alphaviruses: 1) Chikungunya virus 2) Ross River virus 3) Barmah Forest virus 4) O'Nyong-nyong virus 5) Mayaro virus 6) Sindbis virus 7) Semliki Forest virus. Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest The interventions of interest are those utilized in the management of arthritogenic Alphavirus infections, confined to the scope of the primary and secondary questions: 1) Management interventions for clinical manifestations 2) Early diagnosis of disease 3) Disease education (including psycho-education). Types of outcomes To be included, studies will measure self-reported objective and subjective measures of HRQOL as the primary or secondary end points. Specific outcomes of interest in this review include: 1) Overall HRQOL measured using HRQOL assessment tools 2) HRQOL domains measured using HRQOL assessment tools, not limited to: a) Physical functioning b) Cognitive functioning c) Social functioning d) Role functioning e) Emotional functioning f) Pain g) Anxiety h) Depression i) Fatigue j) Sleep k) General health perspective. 3) Other domains not covered by HRQOL assessment tools, usually relating to disease-specific and treatment-specific symptoms. Adverse outcomes of interest will include: a) Any harm associated with the management of arthritogenic alphavirus infections b) Decrease in overall HRQOL or HRQOL domain c) Recurrence of arthritogenic alphavirus infections or the onset of secondary disease.