Risk factors for arthropathy in patients with ulcerative colitis after total colectomy

Abstract

Objective

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) often develop arthropathy. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of and risk factors for arthropathy in patients with UC who underwent total colectomy which is the final radical treatment lead to remission.

Methods

Patients who underwent total colectomy from January 2007 to April 2016 were analyzed for the development of arthropathy. The type of arthropathy and risk factors for developing arthropathy were analyzed by clinical and endoscopic severity classification, extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) and medical treatment.

Results

Total of 219 patients who underwent total colectomy with sufficient medical records were analyzed. Forty-eight cases (21.9%) had EIMs, and 40 cases (18.2%) developed arthropathy (57.0% polyarthropathy; 42.5% peripheral arthropathy). Multivariate analysis showed that severity of Matts classification grade 3 or 4 versus grade 1 or 2 (hazard ratio [HR] 2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22–4.36, p < .05) and EIMs other than arthropathy (HR 3.29, 95% CI 1.43–7.58, p < .05) were risk factors for the development of arthropathy.

Conclusion

This study showed that approximately one fifth of patients with UC who underwent total colectomy developed arthropathy. The risk factors for the development of arthropathy were preoperative endoscopic disease activity and EIMs.

Keywords:

• Arthritis
• biologics
• inflammatory bowel disease
• spondyloarthritis
• ulcerative colitis

Conflict of interest

None.