Rates of early surgery and associated risk factors in Crohn's disease.
OBJECTIVE
The individual course of Crohn's disease is diverse, and some patients may require bowel resection. The aims of this study were to determine the early surgery rate of Crohn's disease and to identify risk factors associated with early surgery in Korea.


METHODS
Ninety six patients with Crohn's disease (68 men; median age at the time of diagnosis: 25 years), who had been followed up more than a year, were retrospectively analyzed. Early surgery was defined as a bowel operation for Crohn's disease or its complications occurring within 3 years from diagnosis. Early surgery rate and risk factors for early surgery were identified.


RESULTS
Fifteen patients (15.6%) underwent early surgery. The cumulative surgery rate was 8.6% after 6 months, 11.9% after 12 months, 14.1% after 18 months, and 16.7% after 24 to 36 months. Multivariate analysis revealed penetrating or stricturing behavior to be an independent risk factor for early surgery (p<0.001, Exp (B)=2.97 CI 1.39-6.37).


CONCLUSIONS
The cumulative early surgery rate in Korean patients seems to be lower than Western patients. Penetrating or stricturing behavior is significantly associated with early surgery, requiring early aggressive medical treatments.
Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
Su Jin
SJ
Jeon
Kwang Jae
KJ
Lee
Myung Hee
MH
Lee
Seon Kyo
SK
Lim
Chang Jun
CJ
Kang
Jin Hong
JH
Kim
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors