Risk Factors of Toruner et al for an Opportunistic Infection in a Patient with an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

 

Patient selection: Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis

 

Outcome: opportunistic infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, other)

 

Risk factors for opportunistic infection:

(1) therapy with immunosuppressive medication(s)

(2) age > 50 years (odds ratio 3)

 

Immunosuppressive medications:

(1) corticosteroids

(2) azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine

(3) infliximab (or other targeted agent)

 

The odds of an opportunistic infection was 3 with one of these drugs and 15 with 2 or 3 of them.