Three weeks ago, the University Hospital of Bellvitge has begun using a new mobile application for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Thus, patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can scan for intestinal inflammation from home and easily through a smartphone.
The pilot project consists of a device that allows the patient’s self in case of intestinal inflammation and the direct transmission of data from analysis to Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit of the hospital. “These are diseases that occur in outbreaks difficult to predict. Often when they visit patients are stable, but that does not mean that at any time, and suddenly, his condition worse, “says Dr. Jordi Guardiola, section chief of the Gastroenterology Service of the University Hospital Bellvitge. The new method is based on home quantification of fecal calprotectin, a protein that appears from neutrophilic leukocytes when inflammation and can be detected in stool. Previous research has shown that hospital fecal concentration of this protein correlates with the degree of inflammation and, what is very important, appears before the patient develops symptoms. “So, we adapt and we quote visits once the patient have predicted a possible outbreak.”
The IBDoc system is a test designed to be used at home. It incorporates a valve device for collecting a stool sample precise amount. The extract is deposited on a test plate where calprotectin is displayed using red gold particles. Once analyzed, the mobile application CalApp measures levels of intestinal inflammation and sends the results to the hospital.
In this way, the patient can control their disease from home and visit a specialist when it deems necessary according to the results. “The monitoring of the disease from home allows better monitoring of the patient and avoid many endoscopies, resulting in an improvement in the quality of life of patients with inflammatory bowel disease,” says Dr. Guardiola. In cases of stable patients, it is indicated to be tested every three to six months.