title: Is patient reported outcome (PRO) affected by different follow-up regimens in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)? A one year prospective, longitudinal comparison of nurse-led versus conventional follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Specialist nurses have become increasingly involved in the management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The objectives of this study were to investigate the impact of nurse-led versus conventional follow-up on patient outcomes, such as quality of life, worries and time from relapse to start of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients completed the Short Form 36 (SF-36), Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (N-IBDQ) and the Rating Form of IBD Patient Concerns (RFIPC) at baseline and after 1 year. Socio-demographic and clinical variables were obtained at V1 and V2. In addition the amount of e.g., relapses, hospitalisations, time from relapse to start of treatment, sick-leave, unscheduled visits or telephone calls was recorded during the follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 140 patients were included; ulcerative colitis (UC) n=92, Crohn's disease (CD) n=48, mean age 46.9 and 40.0 years old, respectively. One hundred and thirty three patients attended the follow-up after 1 year. After 1 year there were no differences between the groups in relation to quality of life, worries, amount of relapse, sick-leave, hospitalisations or surgery. Participants in nurse-led follow-up had a significantly (p<0.05) shorter interval from the start of a relapse to the start of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurse-led follow-up of IBD patients produces PRO results comparable to that of gastroenterologists and may shorten the interval from the beginning of a relapse to the start of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Østfold University College, Fredrikstad, Norway. lars.p.jelsness-jorgensen@hiof.no
authors.forename: Lars-Petter
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Jelsness-Jørgensen
authors.forename: Tomm
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bernklev
authors.forename: Magne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henriksen
authors.forename: Roald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torp
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057240:Patient Preference; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses'; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D018582:Sick Leave; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors