What is inflammatory bowel disease?

Going to the toilet in a "sudden and uncontrollable" way at least three times a day is one of the main symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), experts warned on the occasion of the World Day of this pathology, which affects more than 30,000 Argentines "it increases excessively".

IBD is an autoimmune and chronic disease of the gastrointestinal tract that includes ulcerative and indeterminate colitis, Crohn's disease (which constitutes the vast majority of cases) and other less common diseases that combine the characteristics of the two.

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Under the slogan #HacerVisibleLoInvisible, this year's campaign is aimed at people with digestive symptoms such as an emergency evacuation, persistent diarrhea for more than four weeks, abdominal pain, mucus or bleeding in the stool, peribad lesions, fever or vomiting to make an adequate diagnosis.

"Many people find it difficult to find words to say these things, even in front of the doctor, because of shame, fear or anxiety, others make them natural and not consult no specialist, "she told the agency. Telam Luciana Escati Peñaloza, president of the Más Vida Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Foundation, has published a "Symptom Checker" on her website www.masvida.org.ar to help patients.

Escati Peñaloza pointed out that although ITNs are still not cured, they can be treated with medications such as corticosteroids, localized anti-inflammatories, immunosuppressants and biotechnology, which "reduces the severity and duration of IBD. symptoms. "

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"There are an estimated 6 million people with IBD in the world." In Argentina, given the diversity and multiplicity of health systems, it is very difficult to calculate prevalence, but it is badumed that 75,000 to 100 people may be affected. that would give a total of 30,000 to 40,000 patients, "said Alicia Sambuelli, gastroenterologist, coordinator of the IBD working group of the Gastroenterology Hospital Carlos Bonorino Udaondo.

The doctor, who also chairs the non-profit badociation "Argentinian Group of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis," said autoimmune pathologies "increase excessively".

"Beyond the fact that there may have been an under-diagnosis before (for lack of knowledge, statistics or the similarity of the symptoms with other digestive pathologies), the IBD today shows a real increase. the hospital, we are seeing a huge increase in the number of patients, with an impressive upward curve from 2000, "warned Sambuelli.

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The specialist explained that although there is a subgroup presenting the disease after 60 years, it usually appears between the second and fourth decade of life, "in the midst of training and development of work and family ". "These diseases are organic, non-functional and have nothing to do with irritable bowel syndrome because they are organic, there are detectable lesions in the bowel that we can see with endoscopies, biopsies, or imaging studies, "he added.

ITNs "affect men and women in the same way, are not contagious and do not come from stress or food, although these factors may make it worse".