Previous Exposure to Multiple Anti-TNF Is Associated with Decreased Efficiency in Preventing Postoperative Crohn’s Disease Recurrence

Background and Aims Infliximab and adalimumab are increasingly used to prevent postoperative recurrence in Crohn's disease patients. The impact of previous exposure to one or more anti-tumour necrosis factor [TNF] agents before surgery on the efficacy of anti-TNF therapy on postoperative recurrence is unknown. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of Crohn's disease patients who underwent surgical bowel resection with anastomosis and prophylactic treatment with anti-TNF therapy between January 2005 and June 2013. Results A total of 57 consecutive Crohn's disease patients with bowel resection and anastomosis followed by prophylactic treatment with anti-TNF were included; 21 [37%] and 24 [42%] patients had a previous exposure to one and more than one anti-TNF agents, respectively; 39 patients [68%] had a surveillance colonoscopy. Cumulative rates of postoperative endoscopic recurrence at 2 years were 45.5% [26.6-69.6%] in patients exposed to two or more anti-TNFα as compared with 29.1% [11.5-48.1%] in patients exposed to one or to zero anti-TNFα before surgery [p = 0.07]. Cumulative rates of clinical recurrence at 1 year were 21.6% [9.6-44.4%] in patients exposed to two or more anti-TNFα as compared with 6.9% [1.8-25.1%] in patients exposed to zero or one anti-TNFα before surgery [p = 0.02]. Multivariable analysis identified smoking and previous exposure to two or more anti-TNFα as risk factors for Crohn's disease clinical or endoscopic postoperative recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.17; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-7.8, p = 0.01 and HR = 4.2; 95% CI: 1.8-10.2, p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Previous exposure to two or more anti-TNF agents was associated with a higher risk of postoperative recurrence in Crohn's disease patients.