A.C. Georgieva, A. Atanassova, M. Mirchev
Clinic of Gastroenterology, University Hospital St. Marina, Medical University, Varna, Bulgaria
Background
About 70% of Crohn’s disease (CD) patients undergo surgery due to disease complication. According to the ECCO consensus, in such cases, the tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) antagonists are a means of choice to prevent post-operative relapse.
Methods
The aim is to evaluate endoscopic, clinical and biochemical outcomes in CD patients, who have undergone surgery, in the course of the subsequent treatment with anti-TNFα mono/combination therapy—anti-TNFα + AZA. Among patients with CD who are undergoing biological treatment, we performed a retrospective analysis of the data of those who underwent surgical intervention associated with Crohn’s disease and subsequently started biological therapy.
Results
Of the 69 CD patients on biological therapy, surgical intervention was performed in 44.92% (n = 31) of cases prior to the initiation of the treatment. The prevalence of patients with right-sided hemicolectomy with subsequent ileotransverse anastomosis was 54.80%, followed by incision and abscess cavity drainage 22.6%, fistula excision 19.4% and left-sided hemicolectomy 3.2%. In 22 patients (71.0%) there was a clinical response (CDAI decline ≤ 100 points), with 66.66% of them achieving clinical remission (CDAI ≥ 150) (p = 0.001, strong correlation r = 0.596, p = 0.001). During the course of treatment, 23.80% lost clinical response after 18 months of treatment. We compared the mean value of the faecal calprotectin (FCP) before starting, and during the course of the biological treatment, we found that the FCP values decreased 1.5 times: 516.78 ± 273.93, (range 100 – 857)/330.46 ± 432.25, (range 5.32–1800). The activity of the disease measured by CDAI decreases twice during the course of the biological treatment: CDAI 378.00 ± 92.89 (range 258–695)/177.93 ± 116.38 (range 34–414) and CRP values decrease over four times: CRP 59.65 ± 64.52 (range 0.9–225)/13.14 ± 23.59 (range 0.13–116.10). During the course of the biological treatment, intestinal complications were observed in 33.33%, and 9.67% of the patients who had both progression and presence of intestinal complications had a subsequent surgery. In 33.33% of cases, the treatment was intensified. 16.70% of them had to switch to another biological drug. Perianal disease prior to biological treatment in operated patients is twice as common (x2 = 3.82, p = 0.050), which in turn appears to be a risk factor for surgical treatment (OR = 3.47 (0.953–12.685)).
Conclusion
In the follow up of the relationship between the occurrence of a clinical response and the onset of biological therapy, we found that the time interval was essential. The earlier the anti-TNFα therapy begins, the greater the likelihood of achieving a clinical and biochemical response (r = 0.326, p < 0.05).
