The following is a summary of “Pediatric Patient and Caregiver Satisfaction With the Use of Transabdominal Bowel Ultrasound in the Assessment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases,” published in the January 2023 issue of Gastroenterology and Nutrition by Hudson, et al.
In the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), transabdominal bowel ultrasonography (TABUS) was becoming a popular, noninvasive technique. The use of TABUS by patients and caregivers needs to be clearly characterized. For a study, researchers sought to know how satisfied pediatric patients and caregivers were with TABUS and what effects gender, age, age group, and a history of anxiety had on satisfaction.
Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE), baseline TABUS, blood tests, stool analyses, and endoscopies were prospectively performed on pediatric patients (0–18 years old) with probable IBD. After the first investigations, patients and their caregivers each filled out a cross-sectional satisfaction survey (5-point Likert scale).
There were 54 patients total (with 67% being men). Regardless of the severity of the condition, the majority expressed total satisfaction and strong agreement that TABUS was better tolerated than in previous studies (P > 0.05). Patients who scored better on the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Illness (SES-CD) believed that TABUS improved their knowledge of their IBD and the location of the disease (P <0.05). Although they expressed comparable opinions to those of individuals with ulcerative colitis, patients with Crohn’s disease were more certain that TABUS was superior to MRE and endoscopy (P< 0.05). People who struggled with anxiety did not worry more than those who did not (P > 0.05).
TABUS was well received by pediatric children and their caretakers, who preferred it to alternative treatment options. It was crucial for people with severe IBD did not to cause an increase in anxiety. The results encouraged the widespread use of the well-liked and favored monitoring technique in pediatrics.
Reference: journals.lww.com/jpgn/Abstract/2023/01000/Pediatric_Patient_and_Caregiver_Satisfaction_With.7.aspx