Not afraid of the vaccine even if you suffer from inflammatory bowel disease

One of the issues most analyzed by specialists in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the dispensing of vaccines in front of covid-19. “Different studies have shown that vaccines are just as safe for IBD patients and, therefore, they can be administered with the same safety as in patients with any other type of pathology or who are healthy “, explains Dr. Fernando Luca de Tena, specialist in the digestive system of the Digestive Diseases Medical-Surgical Center (CMED ).

“The patients treated with infliximab had a lower immune response than the rest after the administration of the first dose”

Before vaccination began in Spain at the end of 2020, professionals who treat people with chronic diseases treated with drugs immunosuppressantsAs in IBD, they carried out different studies in order to analyze the possible risks associated with vaccination against covid-19. These studies showed that people with any type of inflammatory bowel disease had the same risks of suffering effects associated with vaccination. “Vaccines are safe and guarantee effective protection (different depending on the type of vaccine inoculated) against the pandemic from which it exceeds any risk if a person contracts the coronavirus, whose mortality rate in Spain of 162 people per 100,000 inhabitants” , adds Luca de Tena.

Administer the complete vaccination schedule as soon as possible

At this time, only one vaccine, that of Janssen, get the percentage of immunity complete with a single dose. The rest of the vaccines require two to obtain the maximum percentage of immunity it offers. “A study carried out at the University of Exeter (United Kingdom) has shown that patients treated with infliximab obtained a lower immune response than other patients after the administration of the first dose of the vaccine, therefore it is recommended that people with IBD receive the second dose of the vaccine in the right time indicated by each manufacturer to obtain the same percentage of immunity as the rest of the population, “says the CMED IBD specialist.

“There are people who stop treatment in periods of remission, making the outbreaks more severe”, emphasizes the doctor.

Inflammatory bowel disease (composed especially by patients with Crohn’s disease Y ulcerative colitis) it affects some 300,000 people in our country. Affected people have a lower quality of life than healthy patients, since the diarrhea It is one of the main symptoms of the disease, so having a bathroom nearby is one of their main concerns from the moment they leave home. What’s more, tenesmus (feeling of incomplete evacuation) worries up to 75% with IBD, while more than 45% report feeling of tiredness and fatigue when carrying out your daily activities.

Doctor-pacient relationship

IBD is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases. They occur with outbreaks that alternate with periods of remission. “The relationship between those affected and their specialist is essential so that the development of the disease is as favorable as possible and the periods of remission are increasingly long,” says Dr. Luca de Tena.

Faced with any symptom that may make the patient suspect that an outbreak may begin, he should immediately notify his specialist to avoid it or ensure that the severity is as low as possible. What’s more, adherence to the prescribed treatment is essential for life. “There are people who leave it in the periods of remission of the disease, making the outbreaks more severe and that, sometimes, even require hospital admissions,” emphasizes the digestive system specialist at CMED.

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