Use of telemedicine in inflammatory bowel disease: a real monitoring option?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), is a chronic and relapsing disorder characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The natural progression includes periods of flares and remission, requiring continuous and personalized follow-up to achieve long remission and minimize short and long term damage. In fact, IBD patients show significantly higher rates of utilization of healthcare resources than patients with other conditions [1]. It is important to emphasize that 30-45% of adults are nonadherents [2], making these patients five times more likely to suffer relapses and consequently increasing health care costs [3]. The high percentage of nonadherence may be due to the difficulty in accessing specialized IBD care and behavioral factors. Furthermore, IBD is associated with high levels of school and work disability [4], interference with social activities and impairment of quality of life [5]. For these reasons, IBD generates a signi...