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"TNF Inhibitor Use Prior to IBD Surgery Does Not Increase Postoperative Infection Risks" - Ryan McDonald

  • Healio: Gastroenterology
  • New York, NY
  • (May 20, 2019)

Preoperative use of TNF inhibitors in patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis did not increase the risk for any postoperative infections or any postoperative surgical site infections, according to results of the PUCCINI trial presented at Digestive Disease Week. “It’s been very controversial over the years, whether there’s any risk associated with preoperative TNF inhibitor use prior to surgery and whether patients are at greater risk for post-op complications, particularly infectious complications since we know that there is some increased risk of infection in general,” said author of the study Benjamin Cohen, MD, MAS, assistant professor, medicine and gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. According to Dr. Cohen, The aim of the study, was to determine whether exposure to TNF inhibitors is an independent risk factor for postoperative infection in intra-abdominal surgery for patients with CD and UC. “Our data shows that having used a TNF inhibitor within 12 weeks of surgery and even having detectable levels were not associated with any infection or surgical site infection.”

— Benjamin L. Cohen, MD, MAS, Assistant Professor, Medicine, Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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