• Uma Mahadevan, Edward V Loftus, William J Tremaine, John H Pemberton, W Scott Harmsen, Cathy D Schleck, Alan R Zinsmeister, and William J Sandborn.
• Division of Gastroenterology, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
• Inflamm. Bowel Dis. 2002 Sep 1;8(5):311-6.

AimTo determine whether the use of azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine before colectomy is associated with an increased rate of postoperative complications.MethodsAll patients who underwent colectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis between 1997 and 1999 were identified. Medical records were abstracted for demographics, extent and duration of disease, dose and duration of corticosteroids and azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine, albumin, and Truelove/Witts score. Early (30-day) and late (6-month) complications were identified. Noncorticosteroid immunosuppressive use was coded as none, azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine within 1 week of surgery, or therapy with other immunosuppressive agents within 1 month of surgery. A logistic regression analysis assessed the association between these variables and complications.ResultsEarly complications occurred in 49 of 151 (32%) patients not treated with immunosuppressive agents, 12 of 46 (26%) azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine-treated patients, and 4 of 12 (33%) patients treated with other immunosuppressive agents (p = 0.71). Late complications occurred in 72 of 148 (49%), 20 of 46 (43%), and 8 of 12 (67%) patients in these same groups, respectively. Intravenous or oral steroids at doses of 40 mg/d or greater (p < 0.01) and severe or fulminant disease (p = 0.0094) were associated with greater early complication rates.ConclusionEarly complications after restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis are associated with high dose steroids and severe disease but not use of azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine.

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