INTRODUÇÃO: A doença de Crohn (DC) é uma doença inflamatória intestinal (DII) crônica de etiologia desconhecida, apesar de fatores genéticos e ambientais estarem envolvidos. Os fatores étnicos relacionados com a DC são muito controversos. Parece haver uma maior incidência em brancos, porém alguns estudos demonstram aumento da prevalência entre negros nos últimos 30 anos e sugerem diferenças na apresentação clínica. O Brasil apresenta uma população miscigenada, com importante imigração européia e africana. Temos dois objetivos principais: 1) caracterizar os pacientes com DC em um centro de referência brasileiro e 2) correlacionar as características fenotípicas dos nossos pacientes com a raça/cor e ancestralidade. MÉTODOS: Foram incluídos 273 pacientes acompanhados no Ambulatório de Intestino do HC-FMUSP com o diagnóstico de DC previamente estabelecido. Dados demográficos, o curso e as características clínicas da doença, manifestações extra-intestinais, uso de medicamentos e escores de gravidade foram registrados a partir dos prontuários e de entrevistas com os pacientes. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos pacientes era do sexo feminino (164 pacientes, 60%). A média da idade dos pacientes foi 40,3 anos + 13,9, sendo que a média da idade de início dos sintomas foi 28,4 anos + 12,7. A raça/cor predominante foi branca (68,8%), seguida por parda (21,5%), preta (7,8%), amarela (1,5%) e indígena (0,4%). História familiar de DII estava presente em 36 pacientes (13,2%). Cento e trinta e três pacientes referiram história de tabagismo (48,7%). Doença fistulizante foi registrada em 45,2% dos pacientes e 67% dos pacientes apresentaram algum tipo de manifestação extra-intestinal. A localização predominante da doença conforme a classificação de Viena foi íleo-colônica em 39,5% dos pacientes. A distribuição de sexo por raça/cor foi semelhante em todas as raças. Não foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significativa entre as diferentes raças. Analisando apenas brancos e negros (pretos + pardos), verificamos que foi semelhante a distribuição de sexo (60% de sexo feminino entre os brancos e 59% entre os negros; p=0,98), a presença de história familiar de doença inflamatória intestinal (16,2% entre os brancos e 7,6% entre os negros, p=0,08), a presença de doença fistulizante (43,5% dos brancos versus 48,7% dos negros; p=0,49), a presença de manifestações extra-intestinais (67% dos negros versus 66,9% dos brancos; p=1,0) e uso de corticosteróides (65,7% dos negros versus 73,9% dos brancos; p=0,21). Os brancos apresentaram doença restrita ao íleo terminal em 42,4% versus 23,4% nos negros (p=0,009). Não houve diferença na proporção de indivíduos necessitando cirurgia: 46,2% dos negros foram submetidos a cirurgia comparado com 53,2% dos brancos (p=0,34). Ao analisarmos a ancestralidade e não raça/cor declarada, também não encontramos nenhuma associação com idade do início dos sintomas, doença fistulizante, manifestações extra-intestinais, uso de imunossupressores, uso de corticosteróides ou cirurgia prévia. CONCLUSÕES: No Brasil, não encontramos diferenças na apresentação clínica ou gravidade da DC de acordo com raça/cor ou com a ancestralidade. / INTRODUCTION: Crohns disease (CD) is increasingly recognized in diverse ethnic populations. Ethnic factors related do CD are highly controversial. Apparently, there seems to be a higher incidence among white subjects. However, studies conducted in USA have shown an increase in prevalence among black subjects in the last 30 years. Overall, there is lack of information concerning the clinical phenotype (disease presentation and progression) so as to race, and literature remains controversial. Brazil has a multiracial society, with important European immigration and also Africans. AIM: to analyze the influence of race and/or ancestry on clinical presentation and progression in a multiracial society living in the same environment. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy three patients with CD seen in gastroenterology clinic of Hospital das Clínicas between June 2005 and July 2006 were analyzed to determine whether there were significant differences among racial/ancestry groups. Race was self-declared according to the classification used by IBGE (Brazilian Demographical Census classifies people according to race or skin color, which is declared by the person himself/herself according to the fallowing options: white, black, brown/mixed, yellow or indian). Ancestry (also declared by the patient) was described as European, African, mixture of African and European, Indian, Asian or another/unknown. The definition of disease location was according to the Vienna classification. The severity of disease was measured by the use of steroids, the use of immunomodulators (azathioprine or methotrexate) and the need of surgeries related to the disease. The evaluation of extra-intestinal manifestations consisted of 3 main categories: ophthalmological, dermatological and articular. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS statistic software. RESULTS: Whites comprised 68.8%, blacks 7.8%, brown/mixed 21.5% and yellow 1.5%. One patient reported itself as American Indian. Comparing the whites and the African Americans (blacks and brown/mixed), we found no significant difference with respect to family history of inflammatory bowel disease (16.2% vs 7.6%; p=0.08), mean age at the onset of symptoms (27+12 vs 30+12; p=0.07), steroids use (73.9% vs 65.7%; p=0.21), immunomodulators use (74.3% vs 74%; p=0.96), surgery need (53.2% vs 46.2; p=0.34), perforating disease (43.5% vs 48.7%; p=0.49), ocular manifestations (8.8% vs 9.0%; p=0.96), skin manifestations (15.5 vs 15.8%; p=0.94), articular (64.5% vs 63.3% p=0.89). Smoking habits, a possible confounding factor, was similar in the two groups. The whites have more frequent disease location at the ileum (42.4% vs 23.4%; p= 0.009). Analyzing the ancestry, there were 36.8% European, 3.8% mixture of African and European, 9.2% African, 7.9% Indian, 1.3 Asian and 41% Brazilian/other/unknown. If we analyze the European ancestry compared to African, there were no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences among the races (as defined by skin color) in most of the studied variables. There were difference only in respect to disease location, as described previously by others. It seems that in a multiracial society as Brazil, race, in respect of skin color or ancestry, may have some influence, but it is not an important factor defining presentation or progression of CD.

INTRODUÇÃO: A doença de Crohn (DC) é uma doença inflamatória intestinal (DII) crônica de etiologia desconhecida, apesar de fatores genéticos e ambientais estarem envolvidos. Os fatores étnicos relacionados com a DC são muito controversos. Parece haver uma maior incidência em brancos, porém alguns estudos demonstram aumento da prevalência entre negros nos últimos 30 anos e sugerem diferenças na apresentação clínica. O Brasil apresenta uma população miscigenada, com importante imigração européia e africana. Temos dois objetivos principais: 1) caracterizar os pacientes com DC em um centro de referência brasileiro e 2) correlacionar as características fenotípicas dos nossos pacientes com a raça/cor e ancestralidade. MÉTODOS: Foram incluídos 273 pacientes acompanhados no Ambulatório de Intestino do HC-FMUSP com o diagnóstico de DC previamente estabelecido. Dados demográficos, o curso e as características clínicas da doença, manifestações extra-intestinais, uso de medicamentos e escores de gravidade foram registrados a partir dos prontuários e de entrevistas com os pacientes. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos pacientes era do sexo feminino (164 pacientes, 60%). A média da idade dos pacientes foi 40,3 anos + 13,9, sendo que a média da idade de início dos sintomas foi 28,4 anos + 12,7. A raça/cor predominante foi branca (68,8%), seguida por parda (21,5%), preta (7,8%), amarela (1,5%) e indígena (0,4%). História familiar de DII estava presente em 36 pacientes (13,2%). Cento e trinta e três pacientes referiram história de tabagismo (48,7%). Doença fistulizante foi registrada em 45,2% dos pacientes e 67% dos pacientes apresentaram algum tipo de manifestação extra-intestinal. A localização predominante da doença conforme a classificação de Viena foi íleo-colônica em 39,5% dos pacientes. A distribuição de sexo por raça/cor foi semelhante em todas as raças. Não foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significativa entre as diferentes raças. Analisando apenas brancos e negros (pretos + pardos), verificamos que foi semelhante a distribuição de sexo (60% de sexo feminino entre os brancos e 59% entre os negros; p=0,98), a presença de história familiar de doença inflamatória intestinal (16,2% entre os brancos e 7,6% entre os negros, p=0,08), a presença de doença fistulizante (43,5% dos brancos versus 48,7% dos negros; p=0,49), a presença de manifestações extra-intestinais (67% dos negros versus 66,9% dos brancos; p=1,0) e uso de corticosteróides (65,7% dos negros versus 73,9% dos brancos; p=0,21). Os brancos apresentaram doença restrita ao íleo terminal em 42,4% versus 23,4% nos negros (p=0,009). Não houve diferença na proporção de indivíduos necessitando cirurgia: 46,2% dos negros foram submetidos a cirurgia comparado com 53,2% dos brancos (p=0,34). Ao analisarmos a ancestralidade e não raça/cor declarada, também não encontramos nenhuma associação com idade do início dos sintomas, doença fistulizante, manifestações extra-intestinais, uso de imunossupressores, uso de corticosteróides ou cirurgia prévia. CONCLUSÕES: No Brasil, não encontramos diferenças na apresentação clínica ou gravidade da DC de acordo com raça/cor ou com a ancestralidade. / INTRODUCTION: Crohns disease (CD) is increasingly recognized in diverse ethnic populations. Ethnic factors related do CD are highly controversial. Apparently, there seems to be a higher incidence among white subjects. However, studies conducted in USA have shown an increase in prevalence among black subjects in the last 30 years. Overall, there is lack of information concerning the clinical phenotype (disease presentation and progression) so as to race, and literature remains controversial. Brazil has a multiracial society, with important European immigration and also Africans. AIM: to analyze the influence of race and/or ancestry on clinical presentation and progression in a multiracial society living in the same environment. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy three patients with CD seen in gastroenterology clinic of Hospital das Clínicas between June 2005 and July 2006 were analyzed to determine whether there were significant differences among racial/ancestry groups. Race was self-declared according to the classification used by IBGE (Brazilian Demographical Census classifies people according to race or skin color, which is declared by the person himself/herself according to the fallowing options: white, black, brown/mixed, yellow or indian). Ancestry (also declared by the patient) was described as European, African, mixture of African and European, Indian, Asian or another/unknown. The definition of disease location was according to the Vienna classification. The severity of disease was measured by the use of steroids, the use of immunomodulators (azathioprine or methotrexate) and the need of surgeries related to the disease. The evaluation of extra-intestinal manifestations consisted of 3 main categories: ophthalmological, dermatological and articular. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS statistic software. RESULTS: Whites comprised 68.8%, blacks 7.8%, brown/mixed 21.5% and yellow 1.5%. One patient reported itself as American Indian. Comparing the whites and the African Americans (blacks and brown/mixed), we found no significant difference with respect to family history of inflammatory bowel disease (16.2% vs 7.6%; p=0.08), mean age at the onset of symptoms (27+12 vs 30+12; p=0.07), steroids use (73.9% vs 65.7%; p=0.21), immunomodulators use (74.3% vs 74%; p=0.96), surgery need (53.2% vs 46.2; p=0.34), perforating disease (43.5% vs 48.7%; p=0.49), ocular manifestations (8.8% vs 9.0%; p=0.96), skin manifestations (15.5 vs 15.8%; p=0.94), articular (64.5% vs 63.3% p=0.89). Smoking habits, a possible confounding factor, was similar in the two groups. The whites have more frequent disease location at the ileum (42.4% vs 23.4%; p= 0.009). Analyzing the ancestry, there were 36.8% European, 3.8% mixture of African and European, 9.2% African, 7.9% Indian, 1.3 Asian and 41% Brazilian/other/unknown. If we analyze the European ancestry compared to African, there were no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences among the races (as defined by skin color) in most of the studied variables. There were difference only in respect to disease location, as described previously by others. It seems that in a multiracial society as Brazil, race, in respect of skin color or ancestry, may have some influence, but it is not an important factor defining presentation or progression of CD.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with lifetime morbidity and the onset of disease frequently occurs in early life. Although IBD manifests throughout all ethnic groups, there has been marked heterogeneity in its incidence, prevalence, manifestation, and outcome. We sought to study the incidence, prevalence, and survival of ulcerative colitis (UC) and to examine the evolution and prognostic predictors of Crohn's disease (CD) and UC among Hong Kong Chinese. A total of 4 studies were performed to address these issues. One longitudinal cohort study examined the incidence, prevalence, survival and phenotypic changes of UC. Two other longitudinal cohort studies evaluated the phenotypic evolution of CD. One of them specifically compared the course of disease between patients with and patients without upper gastrointestinal tract phenotype. The final retrospective study identified clinical factors that predicted the occurrence of corticosteroid dependency and refractoriness in patients with IBD. The annual age-standardized incidence rate and point prevalence of UC per 100,000 Hong Kong Chinese in 2006 were 2.1 (95% CI: 1.1-3.7) and 26.5 (95% CI: 22.6-30.9), respectively. Incidence of UC has increased 6 times over the past two decades. The overall survival of UC patients was similar to the expected survival of the Hong Kong population. Phenotypic changes in CD also occurred in Chinese patients in the same way as the white patients with respect to disease behavior, though at a slower rate. Similar to the white CD patients, the location of disease remained relatively stable over the course of disease. Chinese CD patients had more upper gastrointestinal tract phenotype which predicted the need of surgery and subsequent hospitalization. On the other hand, the rate of proximal extension of UC was less than 25% after 10 years. In CD, thrombocytosis predicted, whereas colonic disease negatively predicted corticosteroid dependency. Stricturing CD was associated with corticosteroid refractoriness. In UC, thrombocytosis and extensive colitis predicted corticosteroid dependency, whereas anemia predicted corticosteroid-refractory disease. The results of these studies are important in the planning of health service and they also assist in the formulation of treatment strategy. / Chow, Kai Lai. / "May 2009." / Advisers: Francis KL Chan; Joseph JY Sung. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 72-01, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (M.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 193-235). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.