background and aims: Telemedicine has become a fundamental tool in the management of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) and its role has mainly emerged due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Several European studies suggested that integrated care by telemedicine can improve clinical outcomes in IBD patients. “Vicini di Salute” is a home telemonitoring project, born to support the management of patients with chronic diseases, such as Ulcerative Colitis (UC). Aims of the study were to assess the degree of involvement of UC patient, the clinical disease course, the adherence to therapy and the impact of the UC on health status. Moreover, we evaluated the degree of patient satisfaction. methods: The design of the study was to prospectively enrol twenty adult UC patients. They received a tablet for 6 months through which questionnaires about UC-related symptoms and adherence to therapy were periodically administered. The health-related quality of life was assessed through the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ). The degree of patient’s satisfaction was evaluated every three months through a 0-10 scale. Patients also received educational and motivational messages. results: Eighty consecutive UC outpatients over a period of one month were screened; twenty of them have accepted to join the study and received the tablets in June 2020. All patients completed the study. Demographics and clinical characteristics of the participants are shown in Table 1. Eighty percent of patients regularly used the device and more than 95% answered all questionnaires at least once. The compilation rate was inversely proportional to the frequency of administration (from 54% of the weekly up to 80% of the quarterly ones). Thirteen patients completed at least two questionnaires on UC-related symptoms per month. Among them, 31% maintained clinical remission, 38% achieved clinical remission, 15% had persistent disease activity and 16% experienced disease flare. Based on treatment adherence questionnaires, therapy was regularly assumed in 89%, it was not spontaneously changed in 70% and it was interrupted for well-being in 2%. The mean SIBDQ score was 49 ± 15. Participants reported a mean degree of satisfaction of 8,5 of 10. conclusions: This study was the first in Italy to be focused on telemedicine in UC patients and it showed a high involvement rate. It represented an important tool to assess the clinical disease course and the adherence to therapy, improving the overall management of patients. Based on our experience, telemedicine could become a promising method in the management of UC patients in clinical practice.
First italian experience about telemedicine in ulcerative colitis: single-center prospective observational study (“Vicini di Salute”) / Micheli, F.; Petraroli, C.; Del Forno, A.; Magiotta, A.; Baccini, F.. - (2021). (Intervento presentato al convegno XII congresso nazionale IGIBD tenutosi a Virtual congress).
First italian experience about telemedicine in ulcerative colitis: single-center prospective observational study (“Vicini di Salute”)
Petraroli C.;Del Forno A.;Magiotta A.;
2021
Abstract
background and aims: Telemedicine has become a fundamental tool in the management of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) and its role has mainly emerged due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Several European studies suggested that integrated care by telemedicine can improve clinical outcomes in IBD patients. “Vicini di Salute” is a home telemonitoring project, born to support the management of patients with chronic diseases, such as Ulcerative Colitis (UC). Aims of the study were to assess the degree of involvement of UC patient, the clinical disease course, the adherence to therapy and the impact of the UC on health status. Moreover, we evaluated the degree of patient satisfaction. methods: The design of the study was to prospectively enrol twenty adult UC patients. They received a tablet for 6 months through which questionnaires about UC-related symptoms and adherence to therapy were periodically administered. The health-related quality of life was assessed through the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ). The degree of patient’s satisfaction was evaluated every three months through a 0-10 scale. Patients also received educational and motivational messages. results: Eighty consecutive UC outpatients over a period of one month were screened; twenty of them have accepted to join the study and received the tablets in June 2020. All patients completed the study. Demographics and clinical characteristics of the participants are shown in Table 1. Eighty percent of patients regularly used the device and more than 95% answered all questionnaires at least once. The compilation rate was inversely proportional to the frequency of administration (from 54% of the weekly up to 80% of the quarterly ones). Thirteen patients completed at least two questionnaires on UC-related symptoms per month. Among them, 31% maintained clinical remission, 38% achieved clinical remission, 15% had persistent disease activity and 16% experienced disease flare. Based on treatment adherence questionnaires, therapy was regularly assumed in 89%, it was not spontaneously changed in 70% and it was interrupted for well-being in 2%. The mean SIBDQ score was 49 ± 15. Participants reported a mean degree of satisfaction of 8,5 of 10. conclusions: This study was the first in Italy to be focused on telemedicine in UC patients and it showed a high involvement rate. It represented an important tool to assess the clinical disease course and the adherence to therapy, improving the overall management of patients. Based on our experience, telemedicine could become a promising method in the management of UC patients in clinical practice.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
