Anti-TNF therapy is not associated with an increased risk of post-colectomy complications, a population-based study.

AIM: Previous studies have raised concerns that the use of anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) undergoing surgery may increase the risk of postoperative complications. We have taken a population-based approach to investigate whether there is an association between anti-TNF therapy and postoperative complications in UC patients undergoing subtotal colectomy.

METHOD: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data and procedural coding were used to identify all patients in England between April 2006 and March 2015 undergoing subtotal colectomy for UC. Patients were grouped into those who received anti-TNF therapy within 12 or 4 weeks of surgery and those who did not. The incidence of postoperative complications was evaluated by HES coding and compared between groups.

RESULTS: In all, 6225 UC patients underwent subtotal colectomy. 753 patients received anti-TNF therapy within 12 weeks prior to surgery (418 within 4 weeks). There was no difference in postoperative complications between groups although groups were not comparable for age and comorbidities. Logistic regression with complications as the outcome variable did not show any significant association between anti-TNF therapy and complications. Colectomy performed during an unplanned admission (vs planned admission) and smoking were associated with complications.

CONCLUSION: This large population-based study does not demonstrate any association between preoperative anti-TNF therapy and postoperative complications in UC patients undergoing subtotal colectomy. The only variables associated with complications were colectomy performed during an unplanned admission and smoking.