Probing the microbiome to predict response to biologic therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: one step closer to precision medicine?

© 2022 by the AGA InstituteCurrent treatment algorithms in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) rely on a “trial and error” approach, and therefore, patients may receive ineffective and costly therapy for many months, with associated risks. Furthermore, after failure of the first biologic, response rates to second-line therapies drop considerably. Personalized medicine, which seeks to identify biomarkers that predict disease course and treatment efficacy, thus remains a significant unmet need in IBD.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lessons from London: The BMJ Editorial Process

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AMP-Student: Challenges for Scientific Publishing

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Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients’ perspectives during COVID-19 pandemic: results from a Portuguese survey

© 2021 Sociedade Portuguesa de Gastrenterologia. Published by S. Karger AG, BaselThis is an Open Access article licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-4.0 International License (CC BY-NC) (http://www.karger.com/Services/OpenAccessLicense), applicable to the online version of the article only. Usage and distribution for com- mercial purposes requires written permissionIntroduction: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not seem to be at increased risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2, but there is a concern whether immunosuppressive therapy may be associated with more severe disease. Several clinical practice recommendations have been published to help guide IBD care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, few studies have addressed patients' perspectives and fears. We aimed to evaluate Portuguese IBD patients' perspectives on the clinical management of their disease during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as well as the impact on their professional life. Methods: An anonymous electronic survey was created using REDCap and was distributed by the Portuguese Association of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (APDI) between May and August 2020. Patients' perspectives on immunosuppressive therapy, disease management, interaction with gastroenterology departments, and the impact of the pandemic in their professional life were assessed. Patients' proposals to improve medical care were also evaluated. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were performed. Results: A total of 137 participants answered the survey (79.6% females, mean age 41.7 ± 12.1 years). Although having IBD and receiving treatment with immunosuppressors (thiopurines, steroids, or biologics) were considered promotors of anxiety, most patients (85.4%) agreed that disease remission was a priority and only a minority of patients interrupted their treatment during the pandemic. In multivariate analysis, active disease, biologic treatment, and use of corticosteroids in the last 3 months were perceived by the patients as high-risk features for increased risk of SARS-Cov-2 infection and more severe disease. Fifty-nine patients (44%) believed that their follow-up was influenced by the pandemic and only 58.8% felt that they had the opportunity to discuss their therapeutic options with their doctor. Sixty-three patients (46.0%) were working from home during the pandemic, although this decision was related to IBD and immunosuppressive therapy in only 36.5 and 39.7% of the cases, respectively. Areas where care could have been improved during the pandemic were identified by patients, namely enhancement of the communication with IBD professionals, conciliation of telemedicine with face-to-face appointments, and facilitation of the interaction between patients and employers. Conclusion: Most patients agreed that maintaining IBD remission is crucial, and only a minority of the patients stopped their treatment as per their own initiative. IBD status only had a small influence on patients' professional activity during the COVID-19 outbreak, with most changes being related to the pandemic itself.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Relatório estágio profissional

Relatório final do estágio profissionalizante do 6.º an

The Role of Medical Students in Short-Term Experiences in Global Health: A Perspective from São Tomé Island

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Predatory Publishing: An Industry that Is Threatening Science

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Implementation and short-term adverse events of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in inflammatory bowel disease patients: an international web-based survey

International audienc

Implementation and Short-term Adverse Events of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: An International Web-based Survey

International audienceAbstract Introduction Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine clinical trials did not include patients with immune-mediated conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. We aimed to describe the implementation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among IBD patients, patients’ concerns, and the side effect profile of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, using real-world data. Methods An anonymous web-based self-completed survey was distributed in 36 European countries between June and July 2021. The results of the patient characteristics, concerns, vaccination status, and side effect profile were analysed. Results In all 3272 IBD patients completed the survey, 79.6% had received at least one dose of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and 71.7% had completed the vaccination process. Patients over 60 years old had a significantly higher rate of vaccination [p < 0.001]. Patients’ main concerns before vaccination were the possibility of having worse vaccine-related adverse events due to their IBD [24.6%], an IBD flare after vaccination [21.1%], and reduced vaccine efficacy due to IBD or associated immunosuppression [17.6%]. After the first dose of the vaccine, 72.4% had local symptoms and 51.4% had systemic symptoms [five patients had non-specified thrombosis]. Adverse events were less frequent after the second dose of the vaccine and in older patients. Only a minority of the patients were hospitalised [0.3%], needed a consultation [3.6%], or had to change IBD therapy [13.4%] after anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Conclusions Although IBD patients raised concerns about the safety and efficacy of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, the implementation of vaccination in those responding to our survey was high and the adverse events were comparable to the general population, with minimal impact on their IBD