Percorrer por autor "Mocanu, Irina"
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- Clinical nutrition in Portuguese gastroenterology departments : a multicentric studyPublication . Vara-Luiz, Francisco; Glória, Luísa; Mocanu, Irina; Curado, António; Medeiros, Isabel; Duarte, Maria Antónia; Banhudo, António; Ferreira, Susana; Vaz, Ana Margarida; Bastos, Isabel; Fonseca, JorgeBackground: Hospital nutrition is a major public health problem, as up to 50% of hospitalized patients suffer from undernutrition. Adequate nutritional support (NS) decreases morbidity/mortality, shortens the length of stay, and reduces costs. We aimed to evaluate the engagement of Portuguese gastroenterology departments in NS, especially in artificial nutrition (AN). Methods: Cross-sectional multicentric study, using an online survey sent to 31 Portuguese gastroenterology departments. Results: Nine centers were involved, and all departments were engaged in NS activities. The most performed nutrition technique was endoscopic gastrostomy and not all departments had the expertise to perform all nutrition procedures, namely, endoscopic jejunostomy. Two departments had an AN outpatient clinic. Five centers were involved in hospital nutrition committees. Only four performed systematic nutritional evaluation of every patient on admission. Two departments developed research in the nutrition field. An increase staff and nutrition training were pointed out as suggestions to improve NS. Conclusions: This study outlines a broad picture of NS/AN in Portuguese gastroenterology departments. Medical nutritional training and increasing nutrition teams’ staff may contribute to developing NS/AN. Multidisciplinary management of nutrition-related disorders is of utmost importance, and gastroenterologists are expected to be at the core of hospital nutrition.
- Clinical, endoscopic and histologic differences in gastric mucosa between younger and older adults : an observational study on the aging stomachPublication . Vara-Luiz, Francisco; Mendes, Ivo; Palma, Carolina; Mascarenhas, Paulo; Teles, Ana Elisa; Santos, Inês Costa; Nunes, Gonçalo; Patita, Marta; Mocanu, Irina; Pires, Sara; Meira, Tânia; Vieira, Ana; Pinto-Marques, Pedro; Gomes-Pinto, Daniel; Fonseca, JorgeBackground/Objectives: Age-related changes in the gastric mucosa remain incompletely understood. We aimed to assess and compare clinical, endoscopic and histologic changes in the gastric mucosa associated with aging, and to explore whether gastric aging is associated with a distinct histological pattern. Methods: Single-center observational study. Younger (18–45 years) and older (≥70 years) adults undergoing elective upper endoscopy were included and underwent gastric biopsies. The clinical, endoscopic and histologic features were analyzed and compared. Results: A total of 100 patients were included (45 men/55 women), 50 with 18–45 years and 50 with ≥70 years. Dyspepsia, gastro-esophageal reflux disease and peptic ulcer disease were the most common indications for upper endoscopy. Gastric lesions (erythema, erosions, ulceration and polyps) were more common in older patients (80% vs. 50%, p = 0.003), as well as histologic changes such as chronic gastritis (56% vs. 38%, p = 0.004), chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG; 28% vs. 4%, p < 0.001) and intestinal metaplasia (28% vs. 4%, p < 0.001). These findings persisted after adjusting for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) status and proton pump inhibitor intake on the multivariate analysis. Prevalence of H. pylori was similar between both groups (28% vs. 32%, p = 0.189). Conclusions: Aging is associated with clinical, endoscopic and histologic changes in the gastric mucosa including CAG and metaplasia, independent of the presence of H. pylori. These findings may result from several aging-related pathophysiological processes and decades of cumulative gastric injury and support the hypothesis of an aging stomach phenotype, underscoring the need for an age-adjusted interpretation of gastric biopsies.
- Digestive oncology in the COVID-19 pandemic eraPublication . Laranjo, Ana; Sabino, Júlia; Oliveira, Carla; Mocanu, Irina; Fonseca, Jorge; Brito, MarianaIntroduction: Since the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic there has been widespread concern regarding the possible delay in the diagnosis/treatment of cancer patients. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of patients with digestive cancer. Methods: This was a retrospective study including patients with an inaugural digestive cancer diagnosis discussed for the first time at our center during the weekly digestive oncology reunion (DOR) meeting. The study group was enlisted from March to August 2020, and a control group was sourced from the equivalent period of 2018. Patients with a previous digestive cancer diagnosis/discussion in the DOR were excluded. The following data were collected: demographics, referral origin, tumor staging, first DOR discussion timing, treatment, and outcome. Results: A total of 235 patients were included: 107 in the study group (65.4% male, mean age 71.59 years); 128 in the control group (54.7% male, mean age 68.16 years). The mean number of clinical discussions per week was higher in 2018 (13.65 vs. 10.67, p = 0.040), without a difference in the mean number of patients discussed for the first time (inaugural diagnosis) between groups (p = 0.670). In the 2020 study group, more patients were referred to DOR from the emergency room (ER), fewer from the outpatient clinic/hospital wards (p < 0.001), and more were referred after urgent surgery (p = 0.022). There was no difference in the mean waiting time from diagnosis to first DOR discussion (p = 0.087). Tumor staging in colorectal, gastric, and esophageal cancer was not significantly different between the groups (p = 0897, p = 0.168, and p = 0.717). More patients in the study group presented with stage IV pancreatic cancer (p = 0.043). There was no difference in the time span from DOR until the beginning of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.680) or elective surgery (p = 0.198), or from surgery until adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.396). Also, there was no difference in 30-day mortality from the first DOR date between the groups (p = 0.742). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 era there was a reduced number of clinical discussions in the DOR, but the number of debated patients with an inaugural digestive cancer diagnosis was similar. In the study group more patients were referred to DOR from the ER, and were referred after urgent surgery, suggesting a delayed demand for clinical attention. Study group patients were not significantly affected by the pandemic regarding timely DOR discussion, beginning of treatment, or 30-day mortality, reflecting the maintenance of the quality of care for digestive cancer patients.
- Inflammatory bowel disease, alpha-synuclein aggregates and Parkinson’s disease: the InflamaSPark protocolPublication . Grunho, Miguel; Godinho, Catarina; Patita, Marta; Mocanu, Irina; Vieira, Ana Isabel; De Matos, António; Carregosa, Ricardo; Marx, Frederico; Tomé, Morgane; Sousa-Catita, Diogo; Proença, Luís; Outeiro, Tiago; Fonseca, JorgeThe hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the accumulation of alpha-synuclein (AS) aggregates. Prior to the central nervous system involvement, PD establishes itself in the gut as a result of the complex interplay between microbiota, the host’s immune/neural systems and increased intestinal permeability. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients present a higher number of AS aggregates in the intestinal wall and an increased risk of developing PD. By studying AS aggregates in gut biopsy specimens of IBD patients and controls, this project aims to further clarify the pathophysiology of PD and to explore the potential of gut a biopsy for AS aggregates as a biomarker for prodromal PD.
- Long-term endoscopic gastrostomy enteral feeding of neurosurgical patients : a reference center experiencePublication . Palma, Carolina; Santos, Carla Adriana; Mendes, Ivo; Vara-Luiz, Francisco; Nunes, Gonçalo; Mocanu, Irina; Oliveira, Cátia; Meira, Tânia; Brito, Marta; Santos, Ana Paula; Gonçalves, Ana Sofia; Casimiro, Carlos; Sá, Manuel Cunha e; Fonseca, JorgeBackground/Objectives: Nutritional support in neurosurgical patients is challenging due to severe brain injury, neurological disease, or post-surgical complications. This study aimed to assess outcomes of long-term enteral nutrition via endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in these patients over a 22-year period. Methods: A single-center retrospective (2001–2023) study was conducted on patients referred for PEG. Included patients presented severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, brain tumor, or other neurosurgical conditions. Demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data were collected. Results: A total of 196 patients were included (105 men); 57% were under 65 years. The main diagnoses were stroke (41.8%), TBI (35.2%), and brain tumors (19.9%). The median time from diagnosis to PEG was 94 days. At the time of PEG, only 38.5% were underweight. Outcomes: A total of 132 deaths (75.4%) occurred, while 21 patients resumed oral feeding (10.7%), 22 patients remained PEG-fed (12.6%), and 21 patients were lost to follow-up (10.7%). Most surviving PEG-fed patients had experienced stroke (77%). Median post-PEG survival was 11.5 months and 88% survived >1 month. Higher albumin, transferrin, and cholesterol levels at the time of PEG were associated with longer survival. Albumin (p < 0.001) and transferrin (p < 0.01) were significantly associated with reduced short-term mortality. Conclusions: Despite limited overall survival, reflecting the clinical severity of the diseases, most patients were adequate survivors, and PEG-feeding proved to be appropriate and useful for neurosurgical patients. While most patients had normal-to-high BMI, low serum biomarkers reflected acute illness. Higher serum albumin level was associated with better outcomes, supporting its potential prognostic value.
- Multiple bezoars causing small bowel obstruction : a unique case of resolution with upper and low GI endoscopyPublication . Brito, Mariana; Mocanu, Irina; Nunes, Ana; Fonseca, JorgeReports of obstructing foreign bodies in the small bowel are rare and the majority describe surgical resolution. We report a case of successful endoscopic treatment of a small bowel obstruction (SBO) caused by multiple bezoars. A 92-year-old female presented to the Emergency Department with a history of persistent vomiting. Computed tomography (CT) showed gastric distension and an intraluminal ovaloid foreign body with a heterogenous density in the second portion of the duodenum, suggestive of bezoar.