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Background: The purpose of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment is to achieve resolution of symptoms and remission of disease with a minimum of adverse events (AE). Aim: To report AE of different prescriptions used for the treatment of IBD. Material and Methods: Analysis of a registry of patients with IBD held at a private clinic from 1976 to 2013. All used medications, the occurrence and severity of AE were recorded. Results: The records of 346 patients aged 16 to 86 years, 74% with ulcerative colitis, were analyzed. The most commonly type of medications prescribed were 5-aminosalicylates (5-ASAs) in 329 patients (92%), followed by adrenal steroids in 218 (61%). Forty nine AE were recorded in the same number of patents (14%). These were more common in patients with Crohn disease (n = 19, 21%). An univariate analysis, demonstrated that extra-intestinal manifestations, hospitalizations secondary to IBD crisis, requirement of surgery and treatment with steroids, immunosuppressants or biologic agents were significantly associated with the presence of AE. AEs were more common with immunosuppressants, followed by 5-ASAs and steroids. Discontinuation of therapy was required in 79, 100 and 43% of patients taking these medications, respectively. Twenty percent of AEs were severe. Leukopenia and pancytopenia along with alopecia were the most common AEs attributable to azathioprine. Conclusions: The occurrence of AEs in patients with IBD is uncommon. Even inmunosuppressants or biologic agents have a low rate of AE and most of them mild.

Background: The incidence and prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has increased. Aim: To determine demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with IBD in a Chilean private hospital. Patients and methods: Review of a prospective registry of patients with IBD, started on 2012. It includes clinical, imaging, endoscopical and pathological information of patients. Results: Data of 316 patients with IBD, aged 16 to 86 years (56% females), were analyzed. Ulcerative Colitis (UC), Crohn´s and non-classifiable IBD were diagnosed in 230, 77 and 9 patients, respectively. The disease was diagnosed in 82% of patients in the period between 2002 and 2012. There was a peak in the diagnosis of both UC and CD between 20 and 39 years of age, without gender differences. The disease switched from UC to CD in six patients. In four, there was a change in disease behavior. Thirty eight patients were treated with biological therapy. The median lapse between the diagnosis and the use of biological therapy was 1 year in patients diagnosed after 2007, compared with 5.5 years among those patients diagnosed before 2007 (p=0.001). There was a trend towards a higher requirement of surgery until 2006. Posteriorly there was a stabilization of the requirement, concomitant with the incorporation of biological therapy. Conclusions: An adequate registry of IBD patients is necessary to improve demographic and clinical characteristics. A national registry is needed to assess the epidemiological changes of IBD in Chile.

ResumenEn este artículo se abordan las patologías colorrectales más prevalentes en relación a la salud del hombre. Dado lo extenso del tema se han excluído aquellas patologías que comprometiendo este segmento del aparato digestivo también involucran otras áreas de este mismo sistema. Por este motivo nos centraremos en los siguientes problemas: enfermedad diverticular de colon, enfermedades inflamatorias intestinales (colitis ulcerosa idiopática y enfermedad de Crohn), alteraciones por isquemia y compromiso secundario a radioterapia de este segmento del aparato digestivo. El cáncer colorrectal, patología de alta relevancia, no se desarrollará pues recientemente fue revisado en un número de esta misma revista.SummaryThe aim of this article is to describe the most prevalent colorectal disease in men’s health. Given the extent of the subject we excluded those conditions that compromise other areas of the same system. For this reason we will focus on the following issues: diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel diseases (idiopathic ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) and secondary alterations ischemia radiotherapy commitment to this segment of the digestive tract. Colorectal cancer pathology of high relevance, will be not develop as was recently reviewed in a number of this issue.

AIM: To demographically and clinically characterize inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from the local registry and update data previously published by our group. METHODS: A descriptive study of a cohort based on a registry of patients aged 15 years or older who were diagnosed with IBD and attended the IBD program at Clinica Las Condes in Santiago, Chile. The registry was created in April 2012 and includes patients registered up to October 2015. The information was anonymously downloaded in a monthly report, and the information on patients with more than one visit was updated. The registry includes demographic, clinical and disease characteristics, including the Montreal Classification, medical treatment, surgeries and hospitalizations for crisis. Data regarding infection with Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) were incorporated in the registry in 2014. Data for patients who received consultations as second opinions and continued treatment at this institution were also analyzed. RESULTS: The study included 716 patients with IBD: 508 patients (71%) were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), 196 patients (27%) were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 12 patients (2%) were diagnosed with unclassifiable IBD. The UC/CD ratio was 2.6/1. The median age was 36 years (range 16-88), and 58% of the patients were female, with a median age at diagnosis of 29 years (range 5-76). In the past 15 years, a sustained increase in the number of patients diagnosed with IBD was observed, where 87% of the patients were diagnosed between the years 2001 and 2015. In the cohort examined in the present study, extensive colitis (50%) and colonic involvement (44%) predominated in the patients with UC and CD, respectively. In CD patients, non-stricturing/non-penetrating behavior was more frequent (80%), and perianal disease was observed in 28% of the patients. There were significant differences in treatment between UC and CD, with a higher use of corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive and biological therapies was observed in the patients with CD (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Significant surgical differences were also observed: 5% of the UC patients underwent surgery, whereas 38% of the CD patients required at least one surgery (P < 0.01). The patients with CD were hospitalized more often during their disease course than the patients with UC (55% and 35% of the patients, respectively; P < 0.01). C. difficile infection was acquired by 5% of the patients in each group at some point during the disease course. Nearly half of the patients consulted at the institution for a second opinion, and 32% of these individuals continued treatment at the institution. CONCLUSION: IBD has continued to increase in the study cohort, slowly approaching the level reported in developed countries.

Background: Approximately, 15% of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are diagnosed at 60 years of age or more. Aim: To characterize and compare clinical variables between patients with IBD aged 60 years or more and their younger counterparts. Material and Methods: Retrospective study based on a registry of IBD patients diagnosed between the years 1976 and 2014. Results: Four hundred and nine IBD patients were included. Among them, 294 had Ulcerative Colitis (UC), 104 had Crohn's Disease (CD) and eleven had an indeterminate IBD. Forty-six patients (11.2%) were older than 60 years and 16 (3.9%) had been diagnosed after this age. When comparing patients by age, those aged 60 years or more had a higher frequency of CD and indeterminate IBD (p < 0.01) and a lower ileocolic location in CD (p = 0.02). Both groups were similar in terms of hospitalization due to IBD flare, surgery, use of steroids, immunosuppressive or biological therapies and drug-related adverse events. When analyzing age at diagnosis of IBD, patients diagnosed at ages of 60 years or more had a lower frequency of UC (p < 0.01), a higher frequency of exclusive colonic involvement (p = 0.01), and lower use of mesalamine (p < 0.01). There were no differences in drug-related adverse events, hospitalizations due to IBD flares and surgery according to age at diagnosis. Conclusions: In this population, clinical features of IBD in older patients were similar to those in younger patients.

Background: Measurement of changes in serum antibodies is an excellent predictor of Helicobacter pylori eradication after antibiotic treatment. Aim: To measure the changes in serum antibody titers to Helicobacter pylori, before and after treatment. Material and methods: IgG antibodies to H. pylori were prospectively evaluated in 107 duodenal ulcer patients treated either with antibiotics (amoxicillin, metronidazole and bismuth subsalicylate) plus omeprazole or omeprazole alone. IgG antibody levels were determined using an "in house" ELISA in sera from 49 eradicated patients that received quadruple therapy and 58 non-eradicated patients (12 in whom antibiotic therapy failed and 46 that received omeprazole alone). Endoscopy, urease test, microscopy, and culture of gastric biopsies confirmed H. pylori eradication. Results: Patients in whom H. pylori was eradicated, showed a maintained drop in serum antibody titers that ranged from 15%, 62%, 74% to 76% at 28 days, 4, 8 and 12 months respectively. Such reduction was not observed in patients treated with omeprazole. Patients, in whom quadruple therapy failed to eradicate H. pylori, showed a discrete and transient decrease in antibody titers. By the fourth month, patients in whom eradication with quadruple therapy was not achieved, irrespective of whether they received quadruple therapy or omeprazole alone. Conclusions: A 45% decrease in IgG titer after 4 months is indicative of therapeutic success in H. pylori eradication. Therefore, serology may be useful to monitor the outcome of antibiotic therapy (Rev Méd Chile 2000; 128: 1119-26)