Results of the IBD Podcast observational study, which ran in 10 countries between February 2022 and February 2023 and involved 2,185 patients from 10 countries, showed that the data obtained in Portugal are in line with the global results, according to which 63.2% of patients with Crohn's disease and 34.5% of patients with ulcerative colitis have "suboptimal disease control".

The research, which was carried out in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Portugal, where 130 patients from five Local Health Units participated (Santa Maria, São João, Loures, Algarve and Dão-Lafões), concludes that "there is room for improvement in the treatment of patients" with chronic inflammatory diseases.

The main indicator for this insufficient disease control was the patients' quality of life, with the research observing "a disconnect between objective criteria, assessment by the physician and by the patient", which "reinforces the importance of communication between physician and patient in order to improve patient management and their quality of life".

Released on the occasion of World Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Day, marked on May 19, the study aimed to estimate the proportion of these patients with insufficient disease control due to the presence of warning signs, based on the latest international clinical recommendations (STRIDE II), developed by the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

According to the researchers, suboptimal disease control can affect long-term clinical outcomes and have a negative impact on the patient's quality of life, productivity and performance of daily life activities, with psychosocial and economic consequences.

"Due to the chronic nature of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and the challenges in managing and monitoring IBD, many patients live without their disease being properly controlled. Fortunately, over the past two decades, new therapeutic solutions have been developed to induce and maintain remission," said in a statement the president of the European Crohn's and Colitis Organization and national coordinator of the study, Fernando Magro.

The gastroenterologist stresses that currently "there are more effective treatments that allow us to change the natural history of the disease and improve the quality of life of patients".

IBD is a chronic, incurable, immune-mediated disease, and is characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis being the two most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease.

It is estimated that in Portugal it affects about 25 thousand people, and is often diagnosed at a young age.

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