Factors influencing recurrence in Crohn's disease

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate the factors that influenced the risk of symptomatic recurrence in patients with Crohn's disease who were treated with primary resective surgery. METHODS: Data regarding age, gender, time from diagnosis to surgery, medication, preoperative infectious complications, laboratory values, emergency/elective surgery, location and extent of disease, and resection margins were analyzed in relation to recurrence in 353 patients who were undergoing a “curative” resection in 1969 to 1986. RESULTS: Univariate analyses showed a higher risk of recurrence in women with ileal and ileocolonic disease than in men (P 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Disease extent has prognostic value regarding the risk of symptomatic recurrence in Crohn's disease, whereas the length of resection margins does not influence the risk of relapse. These results favor a conservative approach, particularly in patients with extensive disease.