Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises a spectrum of chronic immune-mediated diseases that affect the gastrointestinal tract. Onset typically occurs in early adulthood. The incidence of this disease has increased worldwide. Its prevalence has increased in Colombia and occurs predominantly in women. Considering that this disease is not curable, the main objective of management is to achieve remission. Many women are affected by IBD during different stages of their lives, including their reproductive life, pregnancy, and menopause. Because of this, the way the disease is managed in women of reproductive age can affect the course of IBD. Treatment and health maintenance strategies are very relevant; for patients with a desire to conceive, remission of the disease is very important at the time of conception and throughout the pregnancy to ensure adequate outcomes for both mother and fetus. Also, remission is necessary at least 3 months prior to conception. It is well known that active disease during conception and pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes. In addition, active perianal disease is an indication of cesarean delivery, resulting in an increased risk of intestinal surgery and post-operative complications.

There is little literature on the implementation of screening criteria for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). This study aimed to apply IBD screening criteria in a group of patients with SpA without IBD diagnosis and correlate them to endoscopic findings and disease activity. A total of 82 patients with SpA were included. The IBD screening test and ileocolonoscopy with digital chromoendoscopy with magnification and histological analysis were performed. The data were analysed with Chi-square test/Fisher’s exact test and multiple correspondence analysis. The major screening criteria found in 48.7% of the patients were associated with a history of infection (p = 0.037). Rectal bleeding was associated with the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, acute inflammation, enthesitis and tissue architecture alteration in the ileum (p < 0.050). Diarrhoea was associated with a higher disease activity score (p = 0.02). Minor screening criteria were associated with painful inflammatory joint (p = 0.05), high disease activity score (p = 0.001) and high calprotectin levels (p = 0.050). Abdominal pain (36.9%) was associated with axial/peripheral compromise (p = 0.017), inflammatory back pain (p = 0.01), enthesitis (p = 0.021), higher disease activity score (p = 0.023) and acute ileum inflammation (p = 0.046). Diarrhoea of 4 weeks and abdominal pain were the most prevalent major and minor screening criteria, respectively, being related to early manifestations of inflammatory bowel compromise and higher disease activity score. This screening test grants a chance of opportune referral of SpA patients from rheumatology to gastroenterology.

Background and aims: Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of autoinflammatory disorders, of which the primary extra-articular manifestation is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The oral cavity being a part of gastrointestinal tract, is significantly compromised in IBD, and in many cases, it is the first site of clinical manifestations of IBD. This study aimed to identify changes in the oral mucosa associated with the onset of IBD and their association with endoscopic/histological findings. Materials and methods: The study assessed 80 patients with SpA and 52 healthy controls. Oral, rheumatological, and gastroenterological assessments were performed. The ileocolonoscopy was performed via digital magnification chromoendoscopy. The statistical analysis consisted of Chi-square, Fisher's exact, and multiple correspondence discriminant analysis tests. Results: From the disease cohort, 63.0% patients showed oral lesions (p = 0.050). These manifestations ranged from gingivitis (55.0%, p = 0.001), aphthous stomatitis (3.8%, p = 0.091), angular cheilitis (2.6%, p = 0.200), and perioral erythema with scaling (1.3%, p = 0.300). All patients who presented with alterations in colonic mucosa also had oral lesions associated with IBD (p = 0.039), specifically gingivitis/aphthous stomatitis (p = 0.029). Conclusion: The patients with SpA without IBD present significant oral signs and symptoms. Gingivitis seems to be the most relevant because of its associations with early endoscopic and histological findings. Clinical relevance: An integral approach to the diagnostic tests that includes evaluations of oral, rheumatological and gastroenterological tissues may favor timely attention and improve patients’ quality of life.

Objective: This study aimed to establish a correlation between fecal calprotectin levels (FC) and intestinal inflammation in patients with spondyloarthritis without inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: A total of 180 SpA patients were included in the study of them 20.6% required Digital chromoendoscopy (DCE). FC, C-reactive protein (CRP), HLA-B*27 and clinical indices were assessed. Results: Positive fecal calprotectin (PFC) and high fecal calprotectin (HFC) levels were observed in 27.0% and 16.0% of patients, respectively. HFC correlated with a Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) score > 4.0 (p = 0.036) and a Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) score > 4.0 (p = 0.047). Loss of vascular pattern in the ileum (LVPI) was observed in approximately 70.0% of patients (p = 0.005), which was associated with PFC and abdominal bloating (p = 0.020). LVPI was also linked to microscopic inflammation (p = 0.012) and PFC with abdominal pain (p = 0.007). HFC was significantly associated with alterations in the ileal mucosa (p = 0.009) and LVPI (p = 0.001). Additionally, HFC and diarrhea were associated with LVPI in 27.3% of patients (p = 0.037) and with erosions in the ileum (p = 0.031). Chronic ileal inflammation correlated with HFC (p = 0.015), ASDAS-CRP > 2.1 (p = 0.09), LVPI (p = 0.001), and villous atrophy (p = 0.014). Factorial analysis of mixed data (FAMD) identified significant associations between micro/macroscopic changes in chronic inflammation and HFC (CC = 0.837); increased levels of CRP and microscopic acute inflammation (CC = 0.792); and clinical activity scores of ASDAS-CRP and BASDAI (CC = 0.914). Conlusions: FC levels were significantly elevated in patients with SpA, particularly those with LVPI, suggesting their potential as a valuable biomarker for managing SpA when joint manifestations coincide with ileal villous atrophy. This indicates a shared immune pathway linked to chronic gut damage.

Los coronavirus son una extensa familia de virus; algunos pueden ser causa de diversas enfermedades humanas, que van desde el resfriado común hasta el síndrome respiratorio agudo severo. La enfermedad por coronavirus (COVID-19) es causada por el coronavirus zoonótico SARS-CoV-2, y comenzó en China en diciembre de 2019. En marzo de 2020, la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) lo declaró una pandemia mundial. Esta enfermedad tiene un gran espectro de signos y síntomas, predominantemente se presenta con tos y fiebre, lo que resulta en una proporción de pacientes que desarrollan síndrome de dificultad respiratoria aguda (SDRA). Se ha planteado que la afectación pulmonar grave por el virus puede ser causada también por hiperinflamación y un cuadro similar a la linfohistiocitosis hemofagocítica (HLH), el cual es un síndrome clínico provocado por una respuesta inadecuada del sistema inmunológico a un desencadenante, sea infeccioso, neoplásico, metabólico o reumatológico, que resulta en una reacción inflamatoria desproporcionada. Esta respuesta inmune altamente activada causa una liberación exagerada o tormenta de citocinas responsable del cuadro clínico. De allí la importancia de revisar el concepto actual y su desenlace en COVID-19. Recientemente se han publicado artículos en los que se sugiere que la presencia de síntomas gastrointestinales se ha asociado a COVID 19 con mayores indicadores de gravedad, lo que motiva al gastroenterólogo a explorar cómo el sistema digestivo podría impactar en esta hiperinflamación.

La pandemia por SARS-Cov-2, ha tomado gran relevancia por su impacto en los diversos sistemas de salud en el mundo. Inicialmente solo se contemplaba la importancia de los síntomas respiratorios y la fiebre; sin embargo, a diario tenemos más reportes y publicaciones sobre la relevancia que está teniendo en el sistema digestivo, ya que algunos pacientes informan síntomas gastrointestinales como diarrea, vómito y dolor abdominal. Los estudios han identificado el ARN del SARS-CoV-2 en muestras de heces de pacientes infectados, en las que se encontró que su receptor que es el de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina 2 (ECA2) se expresaba altamente en las células epiteliales gastrointestinales. Esto sugiere que el SARS-CoV-2 puede infectar activamente y replicarse en el tracto gastrointestinal. Esto tiene implicaciones importantes para el tratamiento de la enfermedad, la transmisión y el control de infecciones. En pacientes con patologías crónicas como la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII), se han generado gran cantidad de preguntas e incertidumbres ante la presencia de COVID-19 junto con las implicaciones que pueden tener tanto en la severidad de los síntomas, como en la descompensación de la patología de base y en la continuidad del tratamiento inmunosupresor.