Emerging role of wearable devices in diagnosis, monitoring, and management of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases

Abstract

Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains a disease burden worldwide requiring multimodal care, diagnostic and treatment approaches. Conventional disease surveillance relies on procedures which are invasive and intermittent clinical assessments which can delay intervention, resulting in suboptimal disease control. There have been several emerging wearable devices proven to be useful in diagnosis and monitoring of patients with IBD. These devices, in real-time, are capable of monitoring physiological and biochemical markers in patients with IBD. Methodology Through a narrative synthesis approach, an extensive search was conducted, identifying key studies such as prospective cohorts and observational studies conducted from 2019 to 2025 involving patients diagnosed with either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Conclusion In this review, we discuss the various interventions, primary and secondary outcomes, key findings and limitations of these studies. Several wearable devices that are able to measure key markers such as C-reactive proteins, interleukin-6, calprotectin, tumor necrosis alpha are explored. This paper also highlights the opportunities challenges and limitations. Even with promising advancements, several challenges still exist such as the accuracy of data, patient adherence, regulatory considerations, and integration with electronic health records (EHR). Future research should focus on refining the technology used in these wearable devices. Additionally, its clinical utility requires more validation to ensure its routine use in IBD care.