Impact of anti-TNF-alpha therapy on colectomy rate and indications for colectomy in ulcerative colitis: comparison of two patient cohorts from 2005 to 2007 and from 2014 to 2016*
Sara Kolehmainen, Anna Lepistö ORCID Icon & Martti Färkkilä ORCID Icon
Received 22 Mar 2019, Accepted 12 May 2019, Published online: 28 May 2019
Download citation  https://doi.org/10.1080/00365521.2019.1620326 

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Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of biological therapy on the colectomy rate and indications for colectomy in ulcerative colitis (UC) at Helsinki University Hospital (HUH) catchment area in Finland.

Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively by comparing two cohorts of UC and indeterminate colitis patients that underwent colectomy in a single centre in HUH during the years 2005–2007 and 2014–2016. All patient data were collected from hospital patient records.

Results: In 2005–2007 and 2014–2016, respectively, 2.3 and 18.8% of patients had received biological therapy and more specifically 2.3 and 10.5% infliximab within 3 months prior to colectomy. Colectomy rates were 8.6 (7.2–10.2) and 5.1 (4.3–6.1)/1.000 patient-years (p < .001). During 2005–2007 and 2014–2016, the indications for colectomy were: refractory disease 79.1 and 79.7%, dysplasia 16.3 and 12.8%, cancer 2.3 and 3.0% and other reasons 2.3 and 4.5%, respectively. Emergency colectomy covered 8.5 and 9.8% of the operations.

Conclusions: In addition to the markedly increased use of biological therapy during the time preceding colectomy, we noticed a significantly decreased rate of surgery but no changes in the indications for colectomy. Biological therapy seems to have had a favourable effect on the colectomy rate. Even so, the main indication for surgery is still a refractory disease, suggesting urgent need for better treatment options.

Keywords: Colectomy, ulcerative colitis, biological therapy, TNF-alpha antagonists, surgery