Usability of a home-based test for the measurement of fecal calprotectin in asymptomatic IBD patients

Abstract

The aim of our work was to test the usability of fecal calprotectin (FC) home-based test in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients.

Methods: IBD patients were prospectively recruited. They had to measure FC with a dedicated tool and smartphone application, 5 times at two weeks intervals over an 8 weeks period. They had to fill in a usability questionnaire at the first and the last FC measurement. A System Usability Scale (SUS: 0-100) and the Global Score of Usability (GSU: 0-85) were calculated. FC was also centrally measured by ELISA.

Results: Fifty-eight patients were recruited. Forty-two performed at least one FC measurement and 27 performed all the FC requested measurements. The median (IQR) SUS (0-100) at the first and last use were 85 (78-90) and 81 (70-88), respectively; the median (IQR) GSU (0-85) at the first and last use were 74 (69-80) and 77 (68-83), respectively. Adherence to the planned measurements and usability of the tool were higher in females and in less severe disease. The intra-class correlation coefficient between home-based and centrally measured FC was 0.88.

Conclusion: The adherence to home-based measurement of FC was fair. Usability scores for the home-based test were high. There was a good correlation with the centrally measured FC by ELISA.

Keywords: Fecal calprotectin; Home-based test; Inflammatory bowel disease; Self-care; Usability.