Effects of Perianal Involvement on Clinical Outcomes in Crohn's Disease over 10 Years

Background/Aims: There was the assumption that Crohn's disease (CD) patients with perianal lesions might have different clinical courses compared to those without. However, quantifiable data comparing the long-term outcomes between the two groups are scarce. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 221 consecutive patients newly diagnosed with CD and registered at the IBD clinic of Severance Hospital, in Seoul, Korea, between January 1990 and October 2005. We compared patients with perianal CD (PCD) and non-perianal CD (NPCD) in terms of clinical outcomes over 10 years. Results: PCD progressed more frequently from inflammatory to complicated behavior than NPCD. Moreover, corticosteroids were prescribed in 102 patients with PCD and only 57 with NPCD (82.9% vs 58.2%, p<0.001), immunosuppressants in 89 and 42 (72.4% vs 42.9%, p<0.001), and anti-tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a) in 37 and 12 (30.1% vs 12.2%, p=0.002). Cumulative hospitalization rates were 82.1% in PCD and 72.4% in NPCD (p=0.086), and surgical intervention rates were 39.8% and 51.0%, respectively (p=0.097). Conclusions: Patients with PCD were more likely than those with NPCD to be administered corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and anti-TNF-a. However, there is no significant difference in the cumulative rates of surgical interventions or hospitalizations.