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The Brazilian Organization for Crohn's Disease and Colitis (GEDIIB) established a national registry of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of the study was to identify clinical factors associated with disease severity in IBD patients in Brazil. A population-based risk model aimed at stratifying the severity of IBD based on previous hospitalization, use of biologics, and need for surgery for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease (CD) and on previous complications for CD. A total of 1179 patients (34.4 ± 14.7y; females 59%) were included: 46.6% with UC, 44.2% with CD, and 0.9% with unclassified IBD (IBD-U). The time from the beginning of the symptoms to diagnosis was 3.85y. In CD, 41.2% of patients presented with ileocolic disease, 32% inflammatory behavior, and 15.5% perianal disease. In UC, 46.3% presented with extensive colitis. Regarding treatment, 68.1%, 67%, and 47.6% received biological therapy, salicylates and immunosuppressors, respectively. Severe disease was associated with the presence of extensive colitis, EIM, male, comorbidities, and familial history of colorectal cancer in patients with UC. The presence of Montreal B2 and B3 behaviors, colonic location, and EIM were associated with CD severity. In conclusion, disease severity was associated with younger age, greater disease extent, and the presence of rheumatic EIM., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

•An identification of the profile of inflammatory bowel disease nurses in Brazil was peformed, and only four nurses worked exclusively with patients with inflammatory bowel disease. •The main areas of activity were outpatient clinics and ostomy care. •Nursing care was based on the nursing process, and the main topics approached in these appointments were treatment adherence and ostomy. •Nurses showed knowledge on immunosuppressive medications and biological therapy. Background - Nurses play a fundamental role within the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) multidisciplinary team. Objective - To identify the profile of IBD nurses in Brazil and their work process organization and characterize the health services where they work. Methods - A questionnaire-based research was developed. The inclusion criteria were nurses with experience in IBD care, nurses with scientific research published in an indexed journal or in process, nurses with master's or doctorate degrees concluded or in progress, and educator nurses with expertise in IBD.Results - Seventy-four nurses were included, among whom 66 (89.19%) were women; their mean age was 40.63±9.98 years. Sixty-six percent work in the Southeast region, and more than half (54.05%) had a specialization course. Only four (5.41%) nurses worked exclusively with patients with IBD. The main areas of activity were outpatient clinics (39%) and ostomy care (35%). Nursing care was based on the nursing process (51.35%), and the main topics approached in nursing appointment were treatment adherence (72.97%), and ostomy (68.92%). Forty-seven (63.51%) nurses had knowledge on immunosuppressive medications and 52 (70.27%) on biological therapy. Most health services were integrated with a hospital that has clinical (72.97%) and surgical hospitalization units (67.57%), and 46 (62.16%) of them had an infusion center. Conclusion - Describing the work process of IBD nurses can supplement their organization of the IBD assistance process, as they do not follow any specific consensus. In addition, the characteristics necessary for IBD care are not found in all health services.

Background: Despite optimized medical therapy, contemporary risk of surgery in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) after 10 years of diagnosis is 9.2% in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 26.2% in Crohn's disease, (CD) in the biological era., Objective: This consensus aims to detail guidance to the most appropriate surgical procedures in different IBD scenarios. In addition, it details surgical indications and perioperative management of adult patients with CD and UC., Methods: Our consensus was developed by colorectal surgeons and gastroenterologists representing the Brazilian Study Group of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (GEDIIB), with the Rapid Review methodology being conducted to support the recommendations/statements. Surgical recommendations were structured and mapped according to the disease phenotypes, surgical indications, and techniques. After structuring the recommendations/statements, the modified Delphi Panel methodology was used to conduct the voting by experts in IBD surgery and gastroenterology. This consisted of three rounds: two using a personalized and anonymous online voting platform and one face-to-face presential meeting. Whenever participants did not agree with specific statements or recommendations, an option to outline possible reasons was offered to enable free-text responses and provide the opportunity for the experts to elaborate or explain disagreement. The consensus of recommendations/statements in each round was considered to have been reached if there was ≥80% agreement., Results and Conclusion: This consensus addressed the most relevant information to guide the decision-making process for adequate surgical management of CD and UC. It synthesizes recommendations developed from evidence-based statements and state-of-art knowledge. Surgical recommendations were structured and mapped according to the different disease phenotypes, indications for surgery and perioperative management. Specific focus of our consensus was given to elective and emergency surgical procedures, determining when to indicate surgery and which procedures may be the more appropriate. The consensus is targeted to gastroenterologists and surgeons interested in the treatment and management of adult patients with CD or UC and supports decision-making of healthcare payors, institutional leaders, and/or administrators.

Background: Approximately 25% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) develop the disease during childhood or adolescence and treatment aims to control active symptoms and prevent long-term complications. The management of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) can be especially challenging in children and adolescents, related to particularities that may affect growth, development, and puberty., Objective: This consensus aims to provide guidance on the most effective medical and surgical management of pediatric patients with CD or UC., Methods: Experts in Pediatric IBD representing Brazilian gastroenterologists (Brazilian Organization for Crohn's Disease and Colitis [GEDIIB]) developed this consensus. A rapid review was performed to support the recommendations/statements. Medical and surgical recommendations were structured and mapped according to the disease type, disease activity, and indications and contraindications for medical and surgical treatment. After structuring the statements, the modified Delphi Panel methodology was used to conduct the voting. The process took place in three rounds: two using a personalized and anonymous online voting platform and one face-to-face. Whenever participants did not agree with a specific recommendation, an option to explain why was offered to enable free-text responses and provide the opportunity for the experts to elaborate or explain disagreement. The consensus of recommendations in each round was accepted when reached ≥80% agreement., Results and Conclusion: The recommendations are presented according to the stage of treatment and severity of the disease in three domains: management and treatment (drug and surgical interventions), criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of medical treatment, and follow-up/ patient monitoring after initial treatment, follow-up/ patient monitoring after initial treatment. Surgical recommendations were grouped according to disease type and recommended surgery. The target audience for this consensus was general practitioners, gastroenterologists, and surgeons interested in the treatment and management of pediatric CD and UC. Additionally, the consensus aimed to support the decision-making of health insurance companies, regulatory agencies, and health institutional leaders and/or administrators.

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases are immune-mediated disorders that include Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). UC is a progressive disease that affects the colorectal mucosa causing debilitating symptoms leading to high morbidity and work disability. As a consequence of chronic colonic inflammation, UC is also associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer., Objective: This consensus aims to provide guidance on the most effective medical management of adult patients with UC., Methods: A consensus statement was developed by stakeholders representing Brazilian gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons (Brazilian Organization for Crohn's Disease and Colitis [GEDIIB]). A systematic review including the most recent evidence was conducted to support the recommendations and statements. All recommendations/statements were endorsed using a modified Delphi Panel by the stakeholders/experts in inflammatory bowel disease with at least 80% or greater consensus., Results and Conclusion: The medical recommendations (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) were mapped according to the stage of treatment and severity of the disease onto three domains: management and treatment (drug and surgical interventions), criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of medical treatment, and follow-up/patient monitoring after initial treatment. The consensus targeted general practitioners, gastroenterologists and surgeons who manage patients with UC, and supports decision-making processes by health insurance companies, regulatory agencies, health institutional leaders, and administrators.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an immune-mediated disorder that includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis. CD is characterized by a transmural intestinal involvement from the mouth to the anus with recurrent and remitting symptoms that can lead to progressive bowel damage and disability over time., Objective: To guide the safest and effective medical treatments of adults with CD., Methods: This consensus was developed by stakeholders representing Brazilian gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons (Brazilian Organization for Crohn's disease and Colitis (GEDIIB)). A systematic review of the most recent evidence was conducted to support the recommendations/statements. All included recommendations and statements were endorsed in a modified Delphi panel by the stakeholders and experts in IBD with an agreement of at least 80% or greater consensus rate., Results and Conclusion: The medical recommendations (pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions) were mapped according to the stage of treatment and severity of the disease in three domains: management and treatment (drug and surgical interventions), criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of medical treatment, and follow-up/patient monitoring after initial treatment. The consensus is targeted towards general practitioners, gastroenterologists, and surgeons interested in treating and managing adults with CD and supports the decision-making of health insurance companies, regulatory agencies, and health institutional leaders or administrators.

Background: This was an observational, descriptive, and retrospective study from 2011 to 2020 from the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Healthcare System database., Aim: To describe the intestinal complications (IC) of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who started conventional therapies in Brazil´s public Healthcare system., Methods: Patients ≥ 18 years of age who had at least one claim related to UC 10 th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) code and at least 2 claims for conventional therapies were included. IC was defined as at least one claim of: UC-related hospitalization, procedures code for rectum or intestinal surgeries, and/or associated disease defined by ICD-10 codes (malignant neoplasia of colon, stenosis, hemorrhage, ulcer and other rectum or anus disease, megacolon, functional diarrhea volvulus, intussusception and erythema nodosum). Descriptive statistics, annual incidence, and incidence rate (IR) [per 100 patient-years (PY)] over the available follow-up period were cal-culated., Results: In total, 41229 UC patients were included (median age, 48 years; 65% women) and the median (interquartile range) follow-up period was 3.3 (1.8-5.3) years. Conventional therapy used during follow-up period included: mesalazine (87%), sulfasalazine (15%), azathioprine (16%) or methotrexate (1%) with a median duration of 1.9 (0.8-4.0) years. Overall IR of IC was 3.2 cases per 100 PY. Among the IC claims, 54% were related to associated diseases, 20% to procedures and 26% to hospitalizations. The overall annual incidence of IC was 2.9%, 2.6% and 2.5% in the first, second and third year after the first claim for therapy (index date), respectively. Over the first 3 years, the annual IR of UC-related hospitalizations ranged from 0.8% to 1.1%; associated diseases from 0.9% to 1.2% - in which anus or rectum disease, and malignant neoplasia of colon were the most frequently reported; and procedure events from 0.6% to 0.7%, being intestinal resection and polyp removal the most frequent ones., Conclusion: Study shows that UC patients under conventional therapy seem to present progression of disease developing some IC, which may have a negative impact on patients and the burden on the health system., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Martins AL served on the advisory board of Takeda, AbbVie, Janssen, Pfizer and Amgen and is a speaker for Amgen and Janssen. Galhardi Gasparini R is a speaker for Janssen, Takeda and AbbVie. Sassaki LY is a speaker for Janssen and Takeda and participated in the advisory boards of Takeda and AbbVie. Saad-Hossne R is a speaker and on the advisory boards for AbbVie, Takeda, Janssen, Pfizer, Fresenius and Amgen, as well as a speaker for Novartis. AMVR is an employee of IQVIA Brazil. Marcolino T, Barreto TB and Yang Santos C are employees of Takeda Pharmaceutical Brazil., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This is the first study on the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), the southernmost state of Brazil with the country's fifth largest population. Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are collectively termed IBDs. They have high incidence and prevalence rates in high-income countries, although in recent years there has been a change in the classic geographical distribution of IBDs, with growing rates in traditionally low-incidence regions., Aim: To estimate the incidence and prevalence of IBDs in the RS state, Brazil, between 2014 and 2019., Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive observational study. Patients with IBD who had initiated treatment and met the inclusion criteria of the RS state free drug distribution program were included. Data were obtained from registration or renewal records of the RS state specialty pharmacy. The male, female, and total populations were estimated according to mid-year data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, which served as a reference for calculating the incidence and prevalence rates of IBDs during the study period. Results were described using mean, standard deviation, and range., Results: We included 1082 patients with IBD, of whom 57.5% were female and 42.5% were male. Patients with CD accounted for 72.45% of the sample, and those with UC accounted for 27.54%. IBD prevalence during the study period was 9.51 per 100000 population, of which 6.89 corresponded to people with CD and 2.62, to people with UC. Incidence rates per 100000 population/year were 2.54 in 2014, 2.61 in 2015, 1.91 in 2016, 0.80 in 2017, 0.83 in 2018, and 0.96 in 2019. The mean IBD incidence rate per 100000 population was 1.61, of which 1.17 corresponded to CD and 0.44, to UC. The mean age was 41 years, and patients were mostly aged 30-40 years. Prevalence by region was higher in the state capital metropolitan area: 12.69 per 100000 population., Conclusion: Our results demonstrated an IBD prevalence of 9.51% and incidence of 1.61 per 100000 population. The patients were predominantly female, and CD was more prevalent than UC., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: There are no conflicts of interest to report., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In the last decade, new therapies with different mechanisms of action have been approved for the treatment of moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Due to the lack of comparative head-to-head trials, the ideal positioning of agents as the most appropriate first- or second-line therapies remains to be defined., Objective: This survey aimed to evaluate the perception and decisions of Brazilian Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) specialists in positioning of new therapies (vedolizumab [VEDO], ustekinumab [UST] and tofacitinib [TOFA]) in the management of IBD in different clinical scenarios., Methodology: An anonymous national web-based questionnaire was used to determine the positioning of treatment options in different clinical scenarios (using Google Forms platform), which involved different age ranges, phenotypes, clinical situations and previous exposure to anti-TNF agents (14 scenarios for CD and 10 scenarios for UC). In CD, physicians could choose between UST or VEDO, whilst in UC, between UST, VEDO or TOFA. Six reasons for the specific choice were proposed, such as mechanism of action, safety, method of administration or onset of action. Statistical analysis was carried out with chi-square and t-tests., Results: A total of 150 out of 672 GEDIIB IBD specialists (22.32%) responded to the survey. In CD scenarios, UST was the most dominant choice (11/14 scenarios), with VEDO dominating only 3 clinical situations. In UC scenarios, VEDO was the dominant choice (8/10), with UST being chosen for scenarios that included extraintestinal manifestations. Among the reasons for specific choices, the most commonly chosen were the higher efficacy due to the intrinsic mechanism of action and safety profile., Conclusions: UST was the dominant choice as compared to VEDO in CD in most scenarios, especially due to its mechanism of action and safety. VEDO was the dominant choice as compared to UST and TOFA in UC scenarios, mainly for reasons also related to its mechanism of action and safety profile. Comparative studies including patient outcomes are needed to better define the positioning of new IBD therapeutic options in our country., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Anti-TNF therapy represented a landmark in medical treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). There is lack of data on the efficacy and safety of these agents in Brazilian patients. The present study aimed to analyze rates of clinical and endoscopic remission comparatively, between adalimumab (ADA) and infliximab (IFX), in Brazilian patients with UC, and evaluate factors associated with clinical and endoscopic remission after 1 year of treatment., Methods: A national retrospective multicenter study (24 centers) was performed including patients with UC treated with anti-TNF therapy. Outcomes as clinical response and remission, endoscopic remission and secondary loss of response were measured in different time points of the follow-up. Baseline predictive factors of clinical and endoscopic remission at week 52 were evaluated using logistic regression model. Indirect comparisons among groups (ADA and IFX) were performed using Student's t, Pearson χ 2 or Fisher's exact test when appropriated, and Kaplan Meier analysis., Results: Overall, 393 patients were included (ADA, n = 111; IFX, n = 282). The mean age was 41.86 ± 13.60 years, 61.58% were female, most patients had extensive colitis (62.40%) and 19.39% had previous exposure to a biological agent. Overall, clinical remission rate was 66.78%, 71.62% and 82.82% at weeks 8, 26 and 52, respectively. Remission rates were higher in the IFX group at weeks 26 (75.12% vs. 62.65%, p < 0.0001) and 52 (65.24% vs. 51.35%, p < 0.0001) when compared to ADA. According to Kaplan-Meier survival curve loss of response was less frequent in the Infliximab compared to Adalimumab group (p = 0.001). Overall, endoscopic remission was observed in 50% of patients at week 26 and in 65.98% at week 52, with no difference between the groups (p = 0.114). Colectomy was performed in 23 patients (5.99%). Age, non-prior exposure to biological therapy, use of IFX and endoscopic remission at week 26 were associated with clinical remission after 52 weeks. Variables associated with endoscopic remission were non-prior exposure to biological therapy, and clinical and endoscopic remission at week 26., Conclusions: IFX was associated with higher rates of clinical remission after 1 year in comparison to ADA. Non-prior exposure to biological therapy and early response to anti-TNF treatment were associated with higher rates of clinical and endoscopic remission., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is still evolving globally, and Brazil is currently one of the most affected countries. It is still debated whether patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at a higher risk for developing COVID-19 or its complications., Aim: To assess geographical distribution of IBD patients at the highest risk and correlate these data with COVID-19 mortality rates in Brazil., Methods: The Brazilian IBD Study Group (Grupo de Estudos da Doença Inflamatória Intestinal do Brasil) developed a web-based survey adapted from the British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines. The included categories were demographic data and inquiries related to risk factors for complications from COVID-19. Patients were categorized as highest, moderate or lowest individual risk. The Spearman correlation test was used to identify any association between highest risk and mortality rates for each state of the country., Results: A total of 3568 patients (65.3% females) were included. Most participants were from the southeastern and southern regions of Brazil, and 84.1% were using immunomodulators and/or biologics. Most patients (55.1%) were at moderate risk, 23.4% were at highest risk and 21.5% were at lowest risk of COVID-19 complications. No association between the proportion of IBD patients at highest risk for COVID-19 complications and higher mortality rates was identified in different Brazilian states ( r = 0.146, P = 0.467)., Conclusion: This study indicates a distinct geographical distribution of IBD patients at highest risk for COVID-19 complications in different states of the country, which may reflect contrasting socioeconomic, educational and healthcare aspects. No association between high risk of IBD and COVID-related mortality rates was identified., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Kotze PG reports grants and personal fees from Takeda, grants and personal fees from Pfizer, personal fees from Janssen, personal fees from Abbvie, personal fees from Novartis, personal fees from Ferring, outside the submitted work., (©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Understanding the treatment landscape of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is essential for improving disease management and patient outcomes. Brazil is the largest Latin American country, and it presents socioeconomic and health care differences across its geographical regions. This country has the highest increase in IBD incidence and prevalence in Latin America, but information about the clinical and treatment characteristics of IBD is scarce., Aim: To describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics of IBD outpatients in Brazil overall and in the Southeast, South and Northeast/Midwest regions., Methods: Multicenter, cross-sectional study with a 3-year retrospective chart review component. Patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) were consecutively enrolled between October 2016 and February 2017. Active CD at enrollment was defined as a Harvey Bradshaw Index ≥ 8 or a CD Activity Index ≥ 220 or a calprotectin level > 200 μg/g or an active result based on colonoscopy suggestive of inadequate control during the previous year; active UC was defined as a partial Mayo score ≥ 5. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze all variables., Results: In a total of 407 included patients, CD was more frequent than UC, both overall (264 CD/143 UC patients) and by region (CD:UC ratios of 2.1 in the Southeast, 1.6 in the South and 1.2 in the Northeast/Midwest). The majority of patients were female (54.2% of CD; 56.6% of UC), and the mean ages were 45.9 ± 13.8 years (CD) and 42.9 ± 13.0 years (UC). The median disease duration was 10.0 (range: 0.5-45) years for both IBD types. At enrollment, 44.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 38.7-50.7] of CD patients and 25.2% (95%CI: 18.1-32.3) of UC patients presented with active disease. More than 95% of IBD patients were receiving treatment at enrollment; CD patients were commonly treated with biologics (71.6%) and immunosuppressors (67.4%), and UC patients were commonly treated with mesalazine [5-Aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA)] derivates (69.9%) and immunosuppressors (44.1%). More than 50% of the CD patients had ileocolonic disease, and 41.7% presented with stricturing disease. One-quarter of CD patients had undergone CD-related surgery in the past 3 years, and this proportion was lower in the Northeast/Midwest region (2.9%)., Conclusion: In Brazil, there are regional variations in IBD management. CD outweighs UC in both frequency and disease activity. However, one-quarter of UC patients have active disease, and most are receiving 5-ASA treatment., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Cyrla Zaltman has received speaker fees from AbbVie, Janssen, Pfizer, UCB Pharma and Takeda, and received research funding from AbbVie, Takeda, and Janssen; Rogerio Serafim Parra has received fees for serving as speaker or as an advisory board member for AbbVie, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, UCB Pharma and Takeda; Ligia Yukie Sassaki has received speaker fees from AbbVie and Takeda; Genoile Oliveira Santana has received speaker fees from AbbVie, Janssen, Takeda and UCB Pharma; and received research funding from Celgene, Roche and Takeda; Maria de Lourdes Abreu Ferrari has received fees for serving as a speaker or as an advisory board member for AbbVie, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, UCB Pharma, and Takeda; Sender Jankiel Miszputen has received fees for serving as speaker or as a consultant for Farmoquimica, Janssen and Marjan, and received research funding from Ache, Roche and Takeda; Cristina Flores has received speaker fees from Janssen, Takeda, and AbbVie; and received fees for serving as an advisory board member for Janssen; Wilson Roberto Catapani has received fees for serving as a speaker or as an advisory board member for Janssen and Takeda; Jose Miguel Luz Parente has received speaker fees from Takeda; Mauro Bafutto has received speaker fees from Takeda, AbbVie, Janssen, UCB and Farmoquimica; and received fees for serving as an advisory board member for AbbVie and Janssen; Jose Joaquim Ribeiro da Rocha has received speaker fees from Nestle; Marley Ribeiro Feitosa has received speaker fees from Janssen and Nestle, and fees for scientific congresses’ support by Janssen, AbbVie, Takeda, Ferring and Nestle and was a subinvestigator in scientific studies sponsored by Janssen, AbbVie and Takeda; Rogerio Saad Hossne has received speaker fees from AbbVie, Janssen, Pfizer and Takeda; Francisco Guilherme Cancela e Penna has received speaker fees from Janssen, Takeda, AbbVie and UCB; Tarcia Nogueira Ferreira Gomes has received research funding from Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior and Takeda; and has received speaker fees from Janssen; Rodrigo Bremer Nones has received speaker fees from AbbVie, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Nestle, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB Pharma and Takeda; Antonio Scafuto Scotton has received speaker fees from Janssen, Novartis, AbbVie, MSD, and EMS, and has received research funding from Janssen, Novartis, AbbVie, Roche, Pfizer, Bristol, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Anthera, AstraZeneca, GSK, UCB, Sanofi, Takeda, Parexel, IQVIA, PPD, PRA, ICON, INP Research, Covance, and In Trials; Rosana Fusaro Caratin was an employee at Takeda Pharmaceuticals Brazil at the time of the study and when this manuscript was written; Juliana Tosta Senra is an employee at Takeda Pharmaceuticals Brazil; Julio Maria Fonseca Chebli has received speaker fees from AbbVie, Janssen, UCB Pharma and Takeda; Heda Maria Barska dos Santos Amarante, Roberto Kaiser Junior, Odery Ramos, Carolina Dias Gonçalves, Isabella de Miranda Guimaraes, Omar Feres, Mikaell Alexandre Gouvea Faria, Pedro Ferrari Sales da Cunha, Mírian Perpétua Palha Dias Parente declare that they have no conflict of interest, (©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mass vaccination offers the best strategy to fight against COVID-19 pandemic, and SARS-CoV2 vaccines are being approved in several countries for emergency use. In Brazil, vaccine approval is expected in the next few days, however potential concerns exist regarding vaccine recommendations for specific populations, such as patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To address these questions, the Brazilian IBD Study Group (GEDIIB) provides this practical advice with key recommendations about the COVID-19 vaccines in IBD population.

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.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate patient's preferences in the choice of their therapy and the factors that influence this choice., Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 101 outpatients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. The inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years and no previous exposure to biological therapy. Patients' preferences were assessed through questions that addressed the preferred mode of administration (oral, subcutaneous, or intravenous) and the factors that determined the choice of medication (efficacy, medical indication, fear of medication, convenience, mode of application, and personal doctors' indication)., Results: The mean age was 43.6±13.5 years, 75.3% were female, and 81.2% were cases of ulcerative colitis. Regarding the mode of administration, the majority of patients preferred oral (87.1%), followed by intravenous (6.93%) and subcutaneous (5.94%) medications. The reasons were "I prefer to take it at home" (42.57%), "I have more freedom" (36.63%), "I don't like self-application" (29.70%), and "I believe it works better" (19.80%). Younger patients and patients in clinical disease activity preferred intravenous mode compared to the oral route (P<0.05). Doctor's opinion (98%) was an important factor associated with the medication choice., Conclusion: Oral route was the preferred mode of administration and most patients took their physician's opinion into account in their choice of medication.

Aim: To present a new technique of cervical esophagogastric anastomosis to reduce the frequency of fistula formation., Methods: A group of 31 patients with thoracic and abdominal esophageal cancer underwent cervical esophagogastric anastomosis with invagination of the proximal esophageal stump into the stomach tube. In the region elected for anastomosis, a transverse myotomy of the esophagus was carried out around the entire circumference of the esophagus. Afterwards, a 4-cm long segment of esophagus was invaginated into the stomach and anastomosed to the anterior and the posterior walls., Results: Postoperative minor complications occurred in 22 (70.9%) patients. Four (12.9%) patients had serious complications that led to death. The discharge of saliva was at a lower region, while attempting to leave the anastomosis site out of the alimentary transit. Three (9.7%) patients had fistula at the esophagogastric anastomosis, with minimal leakage of air or saliva and with mild clinical repercussions. No patients had esophagogastric fistula with intense saliva leakage from either the cervical incision or the thoracic drain. Fibrotic stenosis of anastomoses occurred in seven (22.6%) patients. All these patients obtained relief from their dysphagia with endoscopic dilatation of the anastomosis., Conclusion: Cervical esophagogastric anastomosis with invagination of the proximal esophageal stump into the stomach tube presented a low rate of esophagogastric fistula with mild clinical repercussions.

Many studies have shown important changes in lung function tests after coronary artery surgeries. It is controversial if off-pump surgery can give a better and shorter recovery than the on-pump. A prospective study was conducted on 42 patients submitted to coronary artery surgery and divided into two groups: 21 off-pump using intraluminal shunt (G (I)) and 21 on-pump (G (II)), matched by the anatomical location of the coronary arteries lesions. All patients had spirometric evaluation, blood gas measurements and alveolo-arterial oxygen gradient (A-aDO(2)), at the fourth and 10th postoperative days (PO(4) and PO(10)). Preoperatively, G(I) and G(II) had similar results (P>0.372). Spirometry showed decreases at PO(4) and remained decreased until PO(10) for both groups, with significant differences between the groups. The blood gas measurements showed reduction in arterial oxygen pressure (PaO(2)) and carbon dioxide pressure (PaCO(2)), while there was an increase in A-aDO(2) at PO(4) and PO(10) in both groups. The results suggest that different changes occur in pulmonary function when the surgery is performed with or without cardiopulmonary bypass. The off-pump patients showed significantly greater improvement than the on-pump group.

Purpose: To trace a profile of scientific publications, phase I, in order to know whether or not they show pre-clinical phase data, emphasizing bioethical aspects., Methods: Sixty-one scientific articles, published in 2007, involving research in human beings using new drugs, medicines and vaccines during phase I were analysed. A schedule for data collection was elaborated in which it would be possible to analyse and evaluate those articles. The schedule included items related to the pre-clinical phase associated to the clinical phase, and items related to the sample characteristics., Results: Most of research works were carried out in USA. Taking into consideration that a large number of works have been dedicated to oncologic affections, most of them were carried out in voluntary ill individuals. Information on the pre-clinical phase, phase I, was very poor or absent. Even though some authors consider the phase I research as a promising one and also suggest some future studies on phase II, the reader is not able to consider the same way, as long as there is a shortage of information on the pre-clinical phase., Conclusion: The profile of scientific publications showed that data deserve some reflections and analysis to better evaluate the publications on phase I.

Background: A few recent studies have evaluated diagnostic accuracy by comparison between clinical and autopsy diagnoses in a hospital specialising in cardiology., Methods: 406 consecutive autopsy cases during 2 years were studied. Patients were aged 47.4+/-28.4 years; 236 (58.1%) were men and 170 (41.9%) women. Diagnostic comparison was categorised in classes I to V (I, II, III and IV: discrepancy in decreasing order of importance regarding therapy and prognosis; V: concordance). Categorisation was ranked on the basis of the highest degree of discrepancy. Statistical analysis was performed with the Chi(2) test and stepwise logistic regression., Results: Each age increase of 10 years added 16.2% to the risk of the diagnostic comparison to be categorised in classes I and II (major discrepancy) in comparison to classes III, IV and V (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.27, p<0.001). By contrast, admission to intensive care units decreased the risk of categorisation in classes I and II by 47% (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.85, p = 0.009). The most frequent diagnostic discrepancy occurred for pulmonary embolism: 30 out of 88 (34.1%) diagnoses in classes I and II. The concordance rate was 71.1% for acute myocardial infarction, 75% for aorta dissection, 73.1% for infective endocarditis and 35.2% for pulmonary embolism., Conclusion: Age and hospital ward influenced the distribution of diagnostic discrepancy or concordance between clinical and autopsy diagnoses. The lower discrepancy rate for myocardial infarction and infective endocarditis may be related to the fact that the study was carried out in a specialist hospital.

Objective: Lack of Brazilian publications regarding this disease in Brazil led us to perform the current work to describe the historical evolution and to analyze results of the surgical treatment of Giant Emphysematous Lung Bullae at the Santa Casa de São Paulo., Methods: We have retrospectively assessed, between January 1979 and June 2005, the medical records of 83 patients submitted to one of four surgical modalities: the thoracoscopic bullectomy, VATS bullectomy, VATS bullae drainage and bullae drainage with local anesthesia, totaling 92 surgeries. Parameters analyzed were hospitalization time, post-surgical complications, perioperative and late mortality in addition to clinical and functional pre- and post- surgical parameters., Results: Morbidity was 40.2% and early post-surgical mortality 4.3%. Post-surgical complications were associated to the patient's morbid history. Factors such as diffuse pulmonary emphysema, multiple bullae and age did not influence early complications. There was an improvement in the symptomatology and functional results in 94.5% of the patients. There was no return on he operated bullae. Mortality five years after surgery was of 18.3% and arose, primarily from clinical progression of the diffuse pulmonary emphysema., Conclusions: Several surgical modalities were performed to treat the emphysematous lung bullae, from bullectomy to thoracotomy, at the initial phase until drainage of the bullae with local anesthesia and sprayed talc, the currently preferred modality. Regardless of the method used, however, notwithstanding the relatively high morbidity, post-surgical results are highly favorable with low mortality and uncontestable clinical-functional improvement of the operated patients.

Purpose: To determine the average cost of cataract surgery using the phacoemulsification technique with intraocular lens implant (IOL). This study was conducted during a national campaign to treat patients with cataracts promoted by the Brazilian Council of Ophthalmology (CBO) and the Health Ministry in the city of Itápolis-SP from March to December, 2000., Methods: All expenses related to the surgery were collected (pre-, intra-, and postoperative data) and analyzed. Fifty-eight patients with senile cataracts and without any other ocular findings were submitted to the procedure in a prospective study., Results: The average cost of the surgery in this study was R$ 485.03 or USD 248.05. This value represents the average cost of the surgery itself; in which some materials, equipment, taxes and other services were previously determined and used for this project., Conclusion: The phacoemulsification technique for cataract surgery has been used more and more, due to its effectiveness, being an excellent method to treat cataracts. Although this is an excellent technique, the economical aspect does not allow it to be used for part of the population.

The Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) was introduced in Brazil in 1992 by Losso, Ghefter and Imaeda. Since its advent up to November 1994, 488 patients have been submitted to 497 VATS procedures in four Medical Centers of São Paulo city. The indications for the procedures were: lung diseases in 244 patients (50%), pleural disease in 155 patients (31.7%), thoracic traumas in 42 patients (8.6%), mediastinal diseases in 35 patients (7.1%), cardiovascular diseases in 7 patients (1.4%), chest wall diseases in 3 patients (0.6%) and esophageal diseases in 2 patients (0.4%). In the group of lung disease the most commonly used procedures were the lung biopsy in order to diagnose diffuse pulmonary disease and the indeterminate solitary nodule resection. Among the occurrences of pleural diseases, the most commonly used procedures were the pleurodesis with talc (talc poudrage) for the treatment of recurrent pleural effusion, the driven pleura biopsy and debridment or decortication of trapped lung in cases of pleural empyema. Concerning the mediastinal diseases, the pathology which was most frequently treated by VATS was the recurrent pericardic effusion through partial pericardiectomy. Among the patients presenting chest traumatic diseases, the VATS was used to explore thoracoabdominal penetrating injuries, to control bleeding, to remove clotted hemothorax, to suture diaphragm lesions and to remove intrapleural foreign bodies. Out of 497 procedures, there were 28 convertions to thoracotomy (5.7%) and two deaths occurred all over the cases. The complications, limitations and growth related to this method as well as a future overview of the VATS in Brazil will be presented.