Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40757122›Full record

ArticleMediterranean journal of rheumatology2025

Clinical Application of Infrared Thermography in Rheumatic Diseases: A Systematic Review.

Naveenkumar Nallathambi, Rahul Bisaralli, Shriganesh Palanikumar Naidu, M S Mallikarjunaswamy, P Praveen, Mahabaleshwar Mamadapur

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Mediterranean journal of rheumatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Naveenkumar NallathambiInstitute of Internal Medicine, Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
Rahul BisaralliDepartment of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka, India.
Shriganesh Palanikumar NaiduInstitute of Internal Medicine, Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
M S MallikarjunaswamyDepartment of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, JSS Science and Technology University, Mysuru, India.
P PraveenDepartment of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, JSS Science and Technology University, Mysuru, India.
Mahabaleshwar MamadapurDepartment of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka, India.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aim: This systematic review aims to evaluate the clinical applications of infrared thermography (IRT) in rheumatic diseases (RDs), focusing on its potential as a non-invasive, cost-effective, and reliable tool for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment to improve patient outcomes. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive search strategy was implemented using various databases, namely Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed Central, Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect. After screening, data extraction and quality assessment were performed to synthesise the findings and evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. Results: The systematic review included 51 studies comprising 7 randomised controlled trials and 44 observational studies. IRT demonstrated utility in various RDs. In osteoarthritis, it detected elevated temperatures in affected joints, correlating with pain intensity. For rheumatoid arthritis, IRT was effective in diagnosing active synovitis and monitoring disease progression, although its effectiveness was limited in small joint assessments. In Sjögren's syndrome, IRT differentiated dry eye aetiologies, while in fibromyalgia, the studies yielded mixed results. IRT effectively assessed arthritis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis and aided in detecting disease activity, monitoring progression, and evaluating treatment responses in scleroderma and Raynaud's phenomenon. Additionally, IRT showed potential in assessing therapeutic interventions across several conditions. Conclusion: IRT showed significant potential as a non-invasive tool for diagnosing, monitoring, and evaluating treatment in RDs. While its effectiveness varied by condition, IRT complemented existing methods. Further research is needed to standardise protocols and confirm its clinical utility.

Indexed as

diagnosisinfrared thermographymonitoringrheumatic diseasestreatment

Identifiers

PMID40757122
PMCPMC12312464

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.