Introduction
Malnutrition is a common yet frequently under-recognized complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Its prevalence ranges from 20–40% in outpatients to over 70% in hospitalized patients and is associated with poorer quality of life, increased hospitalization rates, postoperative complications, and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. At the same time, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have become essential components of modern IBD care, providing valuable information on disease burden, functional status, and quality of life beyond traditional clinical and biochemical measures. However, nutritional screening and PRO assessment remain inconsistently implemented in routine practice, often requiring multiple separate tools and limiting longitudinal monitoring.
Aims & Methods
The aim of this project was to develop and implement IBD NUTRI PRO, a dedicated application for the integrated assessment and longitudinal monitoring of nutritional status and PROs in patients with IBD. The application was developed with the support of an IT professional using an Angular-based frontend and a Firebase backend for secure data storage and management. It incorporates validated instruments widely used in clinical practice, including the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), SARC-F, FACIT-F, and IBD Disk. The application enables guided data collection, automatic score calculation, longitudinal visualization of results, and patient follow-up over time. To facilitate evidence-based use, the original scientific references supporting the development and validation of each score were directly integrated within the application and are readily accessible to clinicians. A beta version has been successfully tested on 150 patients. Concurrently, the approval process for release on Google Play Store and Apple App Store is underway.
Results
The application is currently being utilized by clinicians in a tertiary referral centre for IBD. Initial real-world experience generated substantial interest among users, who reported excellent usability and seamless integration into routine outpatient practice. Clinicians highlighted the value of combining nutritional screening tools and PRO measures within a single platform, facilitating standardized data collection, rapid assessment, and longitudinal monitoring. The ability to track nutritional and patient-reported parameters over time was considered a major strength. Preliminary data from 150 patients confirmed high acceptance and excellent user feedback.
Conclusion
IBD NUTRI PRO offers a practical and innovative digital solution for the integrated assessment of malnutrition risk and patient-reported outcomes in IBD. By combining validated instruments, automated calculations, longitudinal data visualization, and direct access to scientific evidence, the platform may facilitate systematic screening and contribute to a more comprehensive and patient-centered approach to IBD care.
