A MEDICAL AND NEUROPSYCHIATRIC MANAGEMENT SURVEY IN A BRAZILIAN COHORT OF PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE (IBD).

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be accompanied by several neurological disorders. Since 2004, we started a Brazilian cohort to assess neuropsychiatric complications in IBD patients. Changes in therapeutic strategy and differences in the prevalence and relevance of neuropsychiatric disorders have been reported in the literature. We conducted a short patient-reported survey about the medical management of IBD (with a special focus on neuropsychiatric management) and its complications. During the enrollment period (9/1/2021 to 8/31/2022), 279 patients with IBD answered the survey (128 patients with ulcerative colitis and 151 with Crohn's disease). This is the first medical management survey aimed to verify the level of perception of IBD patients about their neuropsychiatric conditions. We found a high prevalence of neurologic (59%), psychiatric (32%), and neuropsychiatric co-morbidities (69%). There is a marked discrepancy between the findings of neurological disorders reported in our studies over the first 10 years of the cohort in comparison with the current perception/knowledge among the patients registered in the present management survey. Patients tend to have a better understanding of central rather than peripheral nerve conditions. • What is already known? • The prevalence and spectrum of neuropsychiatric co-morbidities varies among different epidemiologic studies. • What is new here? • Patients self report a high percentage of neuropsychiatric diseases but tend to better recognize central rather than peripheral nervous system disorders. • How can this study help patient care? • This study may guide practioners to educate IBD patients about their neuropsychiatric co-morbidities.