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The risk of post‐operative complications associated with infliximab therapy for Crohn's disease: a controlled cohort study
Author(s) -
Marchal L.,
D'Haens G.,
Van Assche G.,
Vermeire S.,
Noman M.,
Ferrante M.,
Hiele M.,
Bueno De Mesquita M.,
D'Hoore A.,
Penninckx F.,
Rutgeerts P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.01904.x
Subject(s) - medicine , infliximab , crohn's disease , cohort , disease , cohort study , crohn disease , surgery
Summary Background : By temporarily suppressing the immune response, the anti‐tumour necrosis factor agent, infliximab, may increase the risk of peri‐operative complications. Aim : To test this hypothesis for intestinal resection in a cohort of 313 Crohn's disease patients treated with infliximab. Forty received one or more infusions prior to intestinal resection (31/40 within 12 weeks). Methods : The post‐operative events of these patients were compared with those of a control group (infliximab naive) of 39 patients adjusted for age, gender and surgical procedure. Early (10 days) and late (3 months) major or minor complications were identified. Results : The incidence of early minor (15.0% vs. 12.8%) and major (12.5% vs. 7.7%) and late minor (2.5% vs. 5.1%) and major (17.5% vs. 12.8%) complications and the mean hospital stay after surgery (10.3 ± 4.0 days vs. 9.9 ± 5.5 days) were similar in both groups. A trend towards an increased early infection rate was found in infliximab pre‐treated patients (6 vs. 1; P = 0.10), but more patients in this group received corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressives (29 vs. 16 patients; P < 0.05). Conclusion : The use of infliximab before intestinal resection does not prolong the hospital stay and does not increase the rate of post‐operative complications.