MORTALITY DUE TO INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: COMPARATIVE PATTERN BETWEEN THE NORTHEAST AND OTHER REGIONS OF BRAZIL

Introduction Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are characterized by chronic inflammation of the intestines of unclear etiology. IBD occurs worldwide and represents a public health problem, impairing quality of life with increasing mortality outcomes.

Objective To compare mortality rates due to IBD in the Northeast of Brazil between 2012 and 2022 with other regions of the country.

Methods This is an observational, cross-sectional, retrospective, and descriptive epidemiological study based on secondary data collected from the DATASUS platform using the Health Information Tabulator (TABNET) for the years 2012–2022. The study analyzed the number of deaths, ethnicity, gender, and age group of patients by region.

Results In the period analyzed, there were 49,948 deaths due to IBD in Brazil. The Northeast accounted for the highest number of cases (18,901), followed by the Southeast (16,837) and South (6,219). The Northeast had a higher number of female deaths (10,229) compared to males (8,676), with similar patterns in other regions, except for the North, where male deaths predominated. Regarding age group, the mortality pattern increased from 20 years onward for both the Northeast and other regions, with a peak for individuals over 80 years old. In this age group, the Southeast surpassed the Northeast with 7,850 deaths compared to 7,608. For the age range from infancy to 19 years, mortality was predominantly for infants under 1 year old in all regions, with the Northeast leading with 1,988 cases. Concerning ethnicity, higher mortality was observed among mixed-race individuals, followed by whites in the Northeast, North, and Central-West. However, in the South and Southeast, the pattern was reversed, with whites predominating, followed by mixed-race individuals.

Conclusion The Northeast was responsible for the highest number of IBD-related deaths in Brazil during the analyzed period, with an increasing pattern of cases in the other regions, particularly from the age of 20. In terms of gender, the Northeast followed the trend of other regions, with higher mortality in females, except in the North. For age group, mortality among those over 80 years old was higher compared to other age groups, with the Southeast surpassing the Northeast in this regard. Regarding ethnicity, the Northeast followed the pattern of the North and Central-West, with a predominance of mixed-race individuals followed by whites, unlike the South and Southeast, where this pattern was reversed.

Publication History

Article published online:
25 April 2025