Improving Accessibility to Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD): Barriers to Early Diagnosis and Timely Treatment in Latin America.

Delayed initiation of effective antifibrotic therapy in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILD) may influence the progression and outcome of the disease. This study analyzes the differences in the journey of patients with ILD in the Brazilian and Mexican health systems. An evaluative study was conducted in reference centers for interstitial lung diseases in Brazil and Mexico with a panel of four specialists. The patient's journey in both countries begins when the patient seeks medical care after observing a chronic respiratory symptom. In both countries, due to diagnostic complexity, these patients arrive at ILD referral centers at an advanced stage of the disease. Once diagnosis is established, the treatment onset differs between Mexico and Brazil. In Brazil, access to antifibrotic drugs through the public health system has been a significant challenge, and their cost makes them unaffordable for most people. This situation forces medical specialists to provide only supportive care to patients until these drugs can be accessed. In Mexico, antifibrotics have been available in health sectors since 2018. Brazil and Mexico have several similarities regarding the initial journey of the patient due to diagnosis difficulties. Still, the outcome tends to be different due to a difference in access to treatment with antifibrotics. For this reason, advancing health policies that ensure proper treatment for patients with ILD is crucial for the sustainability and reliability of the health system.

Impact of an interdisciplinary approach in children and adolescents with lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD).

INTRODUCTION: The lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) corresponds to changes in the filling or emptying of urine caused by neurogenic, anatomical and functional alterations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of treatment in children and adolescents with LUTD. METHODS: Historical cohort of 15 year follow-up with the participation of 192 patients (123F, 69M), aged 0.1 to 16.8 years, analyzed at admission (T0) and at final follow-up (T1). Most patients belong to a neurologic bladder dysfunction group (60.4%). The treatment was uroterapy with behavioral and cognitive intervention, timed voiding, oral hydration, laxative diet, biofeedback, sacral nerve stimulation, clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), anticholinergic therapy, rectal enema, treatment of urinary tract infection (UTI) and, in refractory cases, surgical procedures such as continent and incontinent urinary diversion (vesicostomy), bladder augmentation and conduit for performing antegrade colonic enema. RESULTS: The main symptoms were daytime urinary incontinence (82.3%), the non-monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (78.6%), fecal incontinence (54.2%) and constipation (47.9%). There was a significant reduction of urinary tract infection (p = 0.0027), daytime urinary incontinence (p < 0.001), nocturnal enuresis (p < 0.001), fecal incontinence (p = 0.010) and of vesicoureteral reflux (p = 0.01). There was significant increase in the use of CIC (p = 0.021), of anticholinergic therapy (p < 0.001) and decrease of chemoprophylaxis (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study showed that treatment of LUTD in children must be individualized, and requires constant monitoring of clinical, laboratory and imaging to minimize the risk of kidney damage.

Impacto de uma abordagem interdisciplinar em crianças e adolescentes com disfunção do trato urinário inferior (DTUI) / Impact of an interdisciplinary approach in children and adolescents with lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD)

Introdução: A disfunção do trato urinário inferior (DTUI) corresponde a alterações no enchimento ou esvaziamento de urina de causas neurogênicas, anatômicas e funcionais. Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto do tratamento em crianças e adolescentes com DTUI. Métodos: Coorte histórica de 15 anos de seguimento com participação de 192 pacientes (123F, 69M) com idade inicial de 0,1 a 16,8 anos, analisados à admissão (T0) e ao final do seguimento (T1). A maioria dos pacientes era do grupo neurológico (60,4%). O tratamento instituído foi a uroterapia com intervenção comportamental e cognitiva, micção de hora marcada, hidratação oral, dieta laxativa, biofeedback, eletroestimulação sacral, cateterismo vesical intermitente limpo (CIL), terapia anticolinérgica, enema retal, tratamento da infecção do trato urinário (ITU) e, nos casos refratários, procedimentos cirúrgicos, tais como a derivação urinária continente e incontinente (vesicostomia), ampliação vesical e conduto para a realização do enema anterógrado cólico. Resultados: Os principais sintomas foram incontinência urinária diurna (82,3%), enurese noturna não monossintomática (78,6%), incontinência fecal (54,2%) e constipação intestinal (47,9%). Detectou-se redução significativa da infecção do trato urinário (p = 0,0027), da incontinência urinária diurna (p < 0,001), da enurese noturna (p < 0,001), da incontinência fecal (p = 0,010) e do refluxo vesicoureteral (p = 0,01). Houve aumento significativo no uso do CIL (p = 0,021), da terapia com anticolinérgico (p < 0,001) e diminuição da quimioprofilaxia (p < 0,001). Conclusão: Este estudo mostrou que o tratamento da DTUI na criança ...

Introduction: The lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) corresponds to changes in the filling or emptying of urine caused by neurogenic, anatomical and functional alterations. Objective: To evaluate the impact of treatment in children and adolescents with LUTD. Methods: Historical cohort of 15 year follow-up with the participation of 192 patients (123F, 69M), aged 0.1 to 16.8 years, analyzed at admission (T0) and at final follow-up (T1). Most patients belong to a neurologic bladder dysfunction group (60.4%). The treatment was uroterapy with behavioral and cognitive intervention, timed voiding, oral hydration, laxative diet, biofeedback, sacral nerve stimulation, clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), anticholinergic therapy, rectal enema, treatment of urinary tract infection (UTI) and, in refractory cases, surgical procedures such as continent and incontinent urinary diversion (vesicostomy), bladder augmentation and conduit for performing antegrade colonic enema. Results: The main symptoms were daytime urinary incontinence (82.3%), the non-monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (78.6%), fecal incontinence (54.2%) and constipation (47.9%). There was a significant reduction of urinary tract infection (p = 0.0027), daytime urinary incontinence (p < 0.001), nocturnal enuresis (p < 0.001), fecal incontinence (p = 0.010) and of vesicoureteral reflux (p = 0.01). There was significant increase in the use of CIC (p = 0.021), of anticholinergic therapy (p < 0.001) and decrease of chemoprophylaxis (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study showed that treatment of LUTD in children must be individualized, and requires constant monitoring of clinical, laboratory and imaging to minimize the risk of kidney damage. .