45% Of patients with inflammatory bowel disease has been entered, with an average of 24 days hospital stay.

-The European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis (EFCCA) leading the initiative Join the Fight Against IBD, together with the European Organization of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (ECCO), aiming to raise awareness about inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and improve the standards of treatment and comprehensive assistance to patients globally

-in Spain2,000 new cases are diagnosed per year; more than 15 of every 100,000 Spaniards suffering from Crohn’s disease and more than 10 of every 100,000 suffer from Ulcerative Colitis

Barcelona, February 15, 2012.- last Wednesday, and as a prelude to the celebration of the 7th Congress of the Organization European of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (ECCO)which was held on 16, 17 and 18 February in Barcelona, has presented the initiative Join the Fight Against IBD, led by the European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis (EFCCA) with the aim of raising awareness about inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and improve the standards of treatment and the comprehensive care of patients around the world.

Patients with IBD join through this initiative to be heard and for society to understand their needs. The initiative has been led by national and international associations of patients and doctors, as the Confederation of associations of sufferers of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (ACCU Spain) Spain and the Spanish working group on Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU).

Doctor D. Fernando Gomollón, President of GETECCU and Mr. Ildefonso Pérez, President of ACCU Spain have been presented in the context of the launch of the platform, Join the Fight Against IBD, Spain data on the impact of IBD creates in the field social, psychological and the quality of life for these patients.

In the words of doctor Gomollón, in inflammatory bowel disease is fundamental to achieve clinical remission in patients, and control of disease treatment and individualized follow-up of each patient. This initiative helps us to understand the importance and necessity of the comprehensive approach to specific units in our hospitals disease ”.

Mr. Ildefonso Pérez says, we have a chronic, progressive disease and causing a severe disability in patients who suffer. Indeed, the more serious is the disease in a person, their life quality is lower and more resent their relations, social, family and couple, and their work and daily life ”.

Pérez stresses, this initiative wants to be a call to action by patients so that the society is aware and better understand our problems and needs; in Spain it is very important that patients have units to enable a comprehensive approach to these diseases ”.

Report on the impact of the inflammatory bowel disease in Spain

The study of emotions of patients with Crohn’s disease, made in Spain between 1,688 elderly with Crohn’s disease patients, has analysed the emotional impact of the diagnosis of the disease and living with it. The study has been conducted by the Confederation of associations of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (ACCU Spain) Spain and the Spanish working group in Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU).

Among the most outstanding results the study sheds are that:

with an average of 39 years, 16% of patients with Crohn’s disease are unable to work and on average, patients lost 3 hours and 24 minutes in his work a week from the disease.

Patients with Crohn’s disease come to emergency room 2 times more than the rest of the population. 45% Of patients has been entered, being the average stay in the hospital for 24 days.

1 of every 5 patients had to be spoken by surgery in the last 2 years, being the hospital admission of an average of 22.5 days.

4 of every 10 patients with Crohn’s disease have taken over one year to be diagnosed because the symptoms is non-specific, very diverse, and easily attributed to other diseases.

4 of every 10 patients were in an active outbreak at the time of the survey; and 3 of every 4 patients confess have been depressed or discouraged because of intestinal problems. In addition, 68% of patients with Crohn’s disease claim that complications from the disease in the future is their greatest concern.

Finally, when the patient participants in the study have valued her social life, 3 of every 4 respondents claim to have felt misunderstood on occasion, and more than half of the patients have had to postpone or cancel an appointment or engagement by the disease.

Mr. Ildefonso Pérez added that, to treat a chronic illness that is attending with outbreaks, progressive and disabling, the patient lives with a constant uncertainty prevents him to make life in the medium and long term plans. There is one vital break ” by which the patient must rethink his life surrounding the disease ”.

Dr. Gomollón says, for patients, learn to live with Crohn’s disease is not easy. Thanks to the diagnosis feel relieved and hopeful about the disease initially, although, as a general rule, this generates anger, frustration and fear for what might happen to them in the future ”.

To analyze the impact on quality of life related to the health of patients with ulcerative colitis, Spanish multicenter study which included 1,156 patients from 9 hospitals in Spain, of which 528 had Ulcerative Colitis was taken as a reference (i).

To assess the quality of life of patients with Ulcerative Colitis in relation to their health analyzed 5 dimensions: digestive symptoms, systemic symptoms, functional affectation, social involvement and emotional involvement. The main conclusions are that the more serious is the disease most is the impact on the quality of life of patients with ulcerative colitis, and this perception by patients is independent of factors such as previous experience with outbreaks of the disease.

On inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses a set of inflammatory diseases, Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Colitis Indeterminada, autoimmune, chronic and disabling. These diseases cause the intestinal tract of the patient of chronic injuries. IBD is caused by the immune system, which attacks the cells of the body itself. The immune system becomes the aggressor and attacks body organs rather than protect it, from the mouth to the anus.

IBD affects more than 2.2 million people in Europe (5 million worldwide, i.e. 2% of the population). In Spain, about 2,000 new cases are diagnosed per year; more than 15 of every 100,000 Spaniards suffering from Crohn’s disease and more than 10 of every 100,000 suffer from Ulcerative Colitis.

IBD cause, as well as gastrointestinal effects, a perception very low in the quality of life of patients, by his great physical and psychological impact.

Referencia:

(i) F.Casellas, PhD, et to the. Impairment of Health-related Quality of Life in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Spanish Multicenter Study. Inflamm Bowel Dis. Volume 11, Number 5, May 2005