title: Using eHealth strategies in delivering dietary and other therapies in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: Health-care systems around the world are facing increasing costs. Non-adherent, chronically ill patients are one such expense incurred by health-care providers. Web-based home-monitoring of patients-or eHealth-has been shown to increase adherence to medical therapy, facilitate contact between patients and health-care professionals, and reduce time to remission for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Web-based treatment is a supportive tool for the health-care provider in an out-patient clinic. eHealth web-programs, such as the Constant Care application, visualize disease activity in a traffic light system and empower patients to screen for disease activity, enabling them to respond appropriately to their symptoms. The eHealth screening procedure for monitoring both pediatric and adult IBD patients is based on a self-obtained symptom score, together with a fecal biomarker for inflammation (fecal calprotectin) that the patients can measure independently using their smart phone, providing both patient and physician with an immediate disease status that they can react to instantaneously. Likewise, web applications for IBD patients, web applications for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and also IBD patients with co-existing IBS, have proven valuable for monitoring and treating IBS symptoms with a diet low in fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols (low-FODMAP diet). With careful disease monitoring via the web application and increased patient adherence, eHealth might be capable of improving the natural disease course of IBD and IBS.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, North Zealand University Hospital, Frederikssund, Denmark.
authors.forename: Dorit Vedel
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Ankersen
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Hvidovre University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark.
authors.forename: Katrine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carlsen
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, North Zealand University Hospital, Frederikssund, Denmark.
authors.forename: Dorte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marker
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, North Zealand University Hospital, Frederikssund, Denmark.
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Munkholm
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, North Zealand University Hospital, Frederikssund, Denmark.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burisch
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D050528:Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006282:Health Personnel; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D020407:Internet; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D004187:Disaccharides; D009005:Monosaccharides; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D011108:Polymers; C024617:polyol
keywords: diet; inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome; patient compliance; telemedicine