PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Rungoe, Christine AU - Langholz, Ebbe AU - Andersson, Mikael AU - Basit, Saima AU - Nielsen, Nete M AU - Wohlfahrt, Jan AU - Jess, Tine TI - Changes in medical treatment and surgery rates in inflammatory bowel disease: a nationwide cohort study 1979–2011 AID - 10.1136/gutjnl-2013-305607 DP - 2014 Oct 01 TA - Gut PG - 1607--1616 VI - 63 IP - 10 4099 - http://gut.bmj.com/content/63/10/1607.short 4100 - http://gut.bmj.com/content/63/10/1607.full SO - Gut2014 Oct 01; 63 AB - Introduction Treatment possibilities have changed in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We assessed changes in medical treatment and surgery over time and impact of medications on risk of surgery in a population-based cohort. Methods 48 967 individuals were diagnosed with IBD (Crohn's disease (CD), 13 185; ulcerative colitis (UC), 35 782) during 1979–2011. Cumulative probability of receiving 5-aminosalicylic acids (5-ASA), topical, oral corticosteroids, thiopurines, and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) blockers, and of first minor or major surgery according to period of diagnosis, was estimated. Medication use and risk of surgery was examined by Cox regression. Results 5-year cumulative probability of first major surgery decreased from 44.7% in cohort (1979–1986) to 19.6% in cohort (2003–2011) (p < 0.001) for CD, and from 11.7% in cohort (1979–1986) to 7.5% in cohort (2003–2011) (p < 0.001) for UC. Minor surgery risk decreased significantly in CD. From cohort (1995–2002) to cohort (2003–2011), a significant increase in use of thiopurines and TNF-α blockers was observed, paralleled by a significant decrease in use of 5-ASA and corticosteroids. Comparing use of azathioprine (or oral corticosteroids) to never-use, no convincing surgery-sparing effect was found. Comparing use in 3+ months of a given drug with use <3 months, only 3+ months use of oral corticosteroids reduced the risk of surgery in patients with disease duration of >1 year. Conclusions Parallel to an increasing use of thiopurines and TNF-α blockers in IBD over time, a persistent significant decrease in surgery rates was observed along with a significant decrease in use of 5-ASA and corticosteroids. However, no convincing surgery-sparing effect of newer medications was found.