Predictors of postoperative recurrence in a cohort of Tunisian patients with Crohn’s disease

Abstract

Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the frequency and risk factors of clinical postoperative recurrence in Tunisian patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). Methods: Clinical data of 86 patients with CD who underwent ileocolonic resection at University Hospital of Sahloul in Tunisia were retrospectively reviewed. Continuous data are expressed as median (interquartile range), and categorical data as frequencies and percentages. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted to identify the risk factors of postoperative clinical recurrence. Results: A total of 86 patients with CD were included in this study. During follow-up, 21 patients (24.4%) had clinical recurrence. The cumulative clinical recurrence rate was 9.3% at 1 year and 20.9% at 5 years. In univariate analysis, predictive factors of postoperative clinical recurrence were active preoperative smoking ( p = 0.008), ileal location of the disease ( p = 0.01), active CD [Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI) > 150] ( p = 0.04), duration of disease before first surgery <9.5 months ( p = 0.027), and limited resection margins (<2 cm) from macroscopically diseased bowel ( p = 0.005). In multivariate analysis, only smoking ( p = 0.012), duration of disease before first surgery <9.5 months ( p = 0.048), and limited resection margins (<2 cm) from macroscopically diseased bowel ( p = 0.046) were confirmed to be independent factors of clinical relapse. Conclusion: Smoking, duration of disease before first surgery <9.5 months, and limited resection margins (<2 cm) from macroscopically diseased bowel were independent risk factors for clinical recurrence. Based on these factors, patients could be stratified in order to guide postoperative therapeutic options.