Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, UK.
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
BMJ Open Gastroenterol. 2021 May;8(1). doi: 10.1136/bmjgast-2021-000631.
Following the disruption of normal paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) services during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we prospectively audited the first-time use of home faecal calprotectin testing. We aimed to provide an alternative to laboratory tests and to assess the value of home testing as part of our regular services going forward.
Home test kits as well as accompanying user instructions were made available to our patients with paediatric IBD that required faecal calprotectin test between 17 April and 12 August 2020. Once the user completed the test, results were automatically uploaded to the result portal and clinical staff were alerted. A user feedback questionnaire was sent to users that had completed the home test.
Of the 54 patients, 41 (76%) aged between 4.7 and 18.1 years used the home test. A total of 45 home tests were done, one of which produced an invalid result. The decision to modify management was made in 12 (29%) of the patients, while 14 (34%) had no changes made and 15 (37%) required further assessment. Twenty (48.8%) responded to the questionnaire and 85% stated that they preferred the home test to the laboratory testing method.
Home calprotectin tests were useful in guiding clinical management during a time when laboratory testing was less available. They may offer benefits as part of routine paediatric IBD monitoring to help target appointments and reduce unnecessary hospital attendances in the future.
在 COVID-19 大流行高峰期，正常儿科炎症性肠病（IBD）服务中断后，我们前瞻性地审查了首次使用家庭粪便钙卫蛋白检测。我们旨在提供一种替代实验室检测的方法，并评估家庭检测作为我们常规服务的一部分的价值。
在 2020 年 4 月 17 日至 8 月 12 日期间，为需要粪便钙卫蛋白检测的儿科 IBD 患者提供家庭检测试剂盒和配套的用户说明。一旦用户完成测试，结果将自动上传到结果门户，临床工作人员将收到警报。向已完成家庭测试的用户发送用户反馈问卷。
在 54 名患者中，41 名（76%）年龄在 4.7 至 18.1 岁之间使用了家庭测试。共进行了 45 次家庭测试，其中一次结果无效。在 12 名（29%）患者中做出了修改管理的决定，14 名（34%）没有改变，15 名（37%）需要进一步评估。有 20 名（48.8%）患者回答了问卷，85%的患者表示他们更喜欢家庭测试而不是实验室测试方法。
在实验室检测不太可用的情况下，家庭钙卫蛋白检测有助于指导临床管理。它们可能作为常规儿科 IBD 监测的一部分提供益处，有助于有针对性地预约，并减少未来不必要的医院就诊。
