Perioperative Use of Vedolizumab is not Associated with Postoperative Infectious Complications in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis Undergoing Colectomy

Preoperative use of vedolizumab has been associated with increased short-term postoperative infectious complications. We assessed this risk in a single-centre cohort of patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing colectomy. Chart review was performed for all colectomies between 2006 and 2016. Short-term postoperative [non]infectious complications were evaluated within 30 days after colectomy. The comprehensive complication index was calculated based on all reported events. We identified 170 eligible patients [46% female, median age 40 years]. Thirty-four patients [20%] received vedolizumab within 16 weeks, 60 [35%] received anti-tumour necrosis factor [TNF] within 8 weeks, 32 [19%] received a moderate-to-high dose of prednisone and 71 [42%] received other therapies at colectomy. Pouch construction was performed at first stage in 47 patients [28%], and less frequently in patients under vedolizumab, anti-TNF or steroids [all p < 0.01]. Sixty-two short-term infectious and 75 noninfectious complications were reported in, respectively, 49 [29%] and 64 [38%] patients. Only pouch construction at first stage of surgery was independently associated with short-term postoperative infectious (odds ratio 2.40 [95% confidence interval 1.18–4.90], p = 0.016), overall complications (3.11 [1.52–6.40], p = 0.002) and more severe complications (comprehensive complication index 20.9 [0.0–30.8] vs 0.0 [0.0–20.9], p = 0.001). Perioperative medical therapy [including vedolizumab] did not influence short-term outcome, either in the overall population or in the subpopulation of patients with pouch construction at a second stage. Perioperative use of vedolizumab was not associated with short-term postoperative [infectious] complications. However, postponing pouch construction to a second stage of surgery is advisable in patients under biological therapy or moderate-to-high doses of steroids.