7th Annual BMRP Investigator Meeting - Abstract
Home Telemanagement for Patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC HAT)
Raymond K. Cross1,2,a, Nadia Cheevers2 and Joseph Finkelstein3
1Veterans Affairs, Maryland Heath Care System (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.); 2Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.); 3Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Institute (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.)
Raymond K. Cross1,2,a, Nadia Cheevers2 and Joseph Finkelstein3
1Veterans Affairs, Maryland Heath Care System (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.); 2Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.); 3Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Institute (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.)
Effective therapies exist to treat ulcerative colitis (UC). However, nonadherence, inadequate monitoring, and side effects result in suboptimal outcomes. Novel methods for monitoring UC patients are needed. Our objectives are to compare disease activity, disease-specific quality of life, medical adherence, and utilization of health care resources in patients using home telemanagement for ulcerative colitis (UC HAT) compared to best available care (BAC). UC HAT consists of a laptop connected to a scale, a decision support server and a web-based clinician portal. UC HAT improves care in UC patients by monitoring patient symptoms, side effects, and adherence, and by helping patients follow their individualized self-care plans. BAC consists of scheduled and as needed follow up visits, telephone follow up, educational materials provided by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, and written self-care plans. To meet our objectives, we designed a 12-month randomized, controlled trial comparing UC HAT and BAC. Eligible UC patients were identified from the University of Maryland Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program and the Veterans Affairs, Baltimore using ICD-9 codes. All eligible patients were invited to participate. Further, eligible patients evaluated in the outpatient clinics at both sites were invited to participate in prospective fashion. 48 patients agreed to participate; 1 patient has not yet completed the baseline visit. Three patients withdrew consent, 2 in the BAC group and 1 in the UC HAT group. Three patients did not comply with installation of UC HAT and 3 patients in the UC HAT group were noncompliant with self-testing; these patients were withdrawn from the study. 1 patient was withdrawn in the BAC group after colectomy was performed. 18 BAC and 19 UC HAT patients remain in the study. To enhance recruitment, we have added two other sites for the trial: Johns Hopkins Medical Institute and Georgetown University. Preliminary data analysis is ongoing.
aPrincipal Investigator