Similar Clinical and Surgical Outcomes Achieved with Early Compared to Late Anti-TNF Induction in Mild-to-Moderate Ulcerative Colitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Table 1
Baseline patient demographics of 115 ulcerative colitis patients receiving anti-TNF therapy at the University of Alberta Inflammatory Bowel Disease Consultation and Research Clinic between 2003 and 2014.
Early initiation of anti-TNF
Late initiation of anti-TNF
value
(%)
57 (49.6)
58 (50.4)
Male (%)
33 (57.9)
32 (55.2)
0.77
Median age (years, IQR)
Age at diagnosis
28.9 (22.1–44.9)
25.8 (18.9–36.4)
0.06
Age at anti-TNF induction
30.7 (22.8–45.6)
35.9 (27.0–44.5)
0.17
Anti-TNF agent
Infliximab
40 (70.2)
38 (65.5)
0.59
Adalimumab
17 (29.8)
20 (34.5)
Median time to anti-TNF treatment after diagnosis (weeks, IQR)
38.1 (23.3–91.0)
414.0 (254.0–561.3)
<0.0001
Year of anti-TNF induction (%)
2003–2008
23 (40.4)
26 (44.8)
0.63
2009–2014
34 (59.6)
32 (55.2)
Active or former smoker (%)
11 (19.3)
15 (25.9)
0.76
Montreal classification, location at anti-TNF induction (%)
E2, left sided distal UC
14 (24.6)
18 (31.0)
0.44
E3, extensive UC (pancolitis)
43 (75.4)
40 (69.0)
Disease activity
Endoscopic Mayo score at diagnosis (mean, ±SD)
2.17 (±0.73)
1.96 (±0.61)
0.19
Endoscopic Mayo score at anti-TNF induction (mean, ±SD)
2.46 (±0.66)
1.86 (±0.67)
<0.001
Partial Mayo score at anti-TNF induction (mean, ±SD)
6.38 (±2.27)
5.67 (±1.95)
0.08
Median C-reactive protein (mg/L, IQR)
35.7 (9.2–80.0)
6.4 (2.0–13.6)
<0.001
Previous UC treatment exposures
5-Aminosalicylates
53 (93.0)
55 (94.8)
0.68
Azathioprine or methotrexate
46 (80.7)
52 (89.7)
0.18
Concurrent treatment at anti-TNF induction (%)
5-Aminosalicylates
30 (52.6)
32 (55.2)
0.79
Azathioprine or methotrexate
31 (54.4)
29 (50.0)
0.64
Corticosteroids
40 (70.2)
32 (55.2)
0.10
Mean total follow-up duration (weeks, ±SD)
153.4 (±84.3)
168.3 (±106.4)
0.41
Early anti-TNF initiation defined as receiving first induction dose of infliximab or adalimumab within three years of diagnosis. Smoking status unavailable for 38 patients. Endoscopic Mayo score unavailable for 37 patients at diagnosis and two patients at anti-TNF induction.
