Arquivos de Gastroenterologia (Dec 2020)

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE CARE IN BRAZIL: HOW IT IS PERFORMED, OBSTACLES AND DEMANDS FROM THE PHYSICIANS’ PERSPECTIVE

  • Eduardo Garcia VILELA,
  • Henrique Carvalho ROCHA,
  • Antônio Carlos MORAES,
  • Genoile Oliveira SANTANA,
  • José Miguel PARENTE,
  • Ligia Yukie SASSAKI,
  • Sender Jenkiel MISZPUTEN,
  • Abel Botelho QUARESMA,
  • Ana Paula Hamer Sousa CLARA,
  • Adélia Carmen Silva de JESUS,
  • Arlene dos Santos PINTO,
  • Bianca Loyo Pona Schiavetti da SILVA,
  • Bruno César da SILVA,
  • Caio César Furtado FREIRE,
  • Carlos Henrique Marques dos SANTOS,
  • Carlos BRITO,
  • Ellen Francioni Lima TEIXEIRA,
  • Eron Fabio MIRANDA,
  • Gilmara Pandolfo ZABOT,
  • Jozelda Lemos DUARTE,
  • Juliano Coelho LUDVIG,
  • Luiz Felipe de CAMPOS-LOBATO,
  • Ornella Sari CASSOL,
  • Mardem Machado de SOUZA,
  • Neogélia Pereira de ALMEIDA,
  • Rogério Serafim PARRA,
  • Sérgio Figueiredo de LIMA JÚNIOR,
  • Rogério SAAD-HOSSNE

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0004-2803.202000000-77
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 57, no. 4
pp. 416 – 427

Abstract

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ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory affections of recurrent nature whose incidence and prevalence rates have increased, including in Brazil. In long term, they are responsible for structural damage that impacts quality of life, morbidity and mortality of patients. OBJECTIVE: To describe the profile of physicians who treat IBD patients as well as the characteristics of IBD care, unmet demands and difficulties. METHODS: A questionnaire containing 17 items was prepared and sent to 286 physicians from 101 Brazilian cities across 21 states and the Federal District, selected from the register of the State Commission of the “Study Group of Inflammatory Bowel Disease of Brazil” (GEDIIB). RESULTS: The majority of the physicians who answered the questionnaire were gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons. More than 60% had up to 20 years of experience in the specialty and 53.14% worked at three or more locations. Difficulties in accessing or releasing medicines were evident in this questionnaire, as was referrals to allied healthy professionals working in IBD-related fields. More than 75% of physicians reported difficulties in performing double-balloon enteroscopy and capsule endoscopy, and 67.8% reported difficulties in measuring calprotectin. With regard to the number of patients seen by each physician, it was shown that patients do not concentrate under the responsibility of few doctors. Infliximab and adalimumab were the most commonly used biological medicines and there was a higher prescription of 5-ASA derivatives for ulcerative colitis than for Crohn’s disease. Steroids were prescribed to a smaller proportion of patients in both diseases. The topics “biological therapy failure” and “new drugs” were reported as those with higher priority for discussion in medical congresses. In relation to possible differences among the country’s regions, physicians from the North region reported greater difficulty in accessing complementary exams while those from the Northeast region indicated greater difficulty in accessing or releasing medicines. CONCLUSION: The data obtained through this study demonstrate the profile of specialized medical care in IBD and are a useful tool for the implementation of government policies and for the Brazilian society as a whole.

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