CARD8 gene variant is a risk factor for recurrent surgery in patients with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Post-operative recurrence is frequent in Crohn's disease. Genetic factors associated with post-operative recurrence remain poorly understood. Identification of genetic variants associated with repeat surgery would allow risk stratification of patients who may benefit from early aggressive therapy and/or post-operative prophylactic treatment. METHODS: Crohn's disease patients who had at least one bowel resection were retrospectively identified from the "Nancy IBD cohort". Covariates and potential interactions were assessed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Kaplan-Meier curves for time to surgical recurrence were developed for 200 genetic variants and analyzed with the log-rank test. RESULTS: 137 patients had at least 1 resection in our cohort: 38 had a surgical recurrence (28%). In multivariate analysis, current smoker status (OR 6.97, 95% CI 1.85-26.22, p=0.004), post-operative complications after prior surgery (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.02-7.22, p=0.044), and Caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 8 (CARD8) homozygosity for the risk allele (OR 7.56, 95% CI 1.13-50.37, p=0.036) remained significantly and independently associated with surgical recurrence. CONCLUSION: Current smoker status was associated with increased risk of surgical recurrence. A novel association between CARD8 and increased risk of surgical recurrence in Crohn's disease was observed. CARD8 could be a new marker for risk stratification and prevention of recurrent surgery.