Table 1.

Baseline characteristics

Characteristic	Patient population (n = 40)
Age at entry (years)	32 ± 4
Male: female	26 : 14
Duration of CD before entry (months)	38 ± 8
Smoker	4
Previous surgery	8
Preoperative medication
Mesalazine	31
Corticosteroids	37
Immunosuppressive drugs or biological	0
Indication for surgery
Bowel obstruction	40
Concomitant abscess/fistula	4

Values are mean ± standard error or n.

CD, Crohn’s disease; Previous surgery, patients who had undergone bowel surgery before the current operation; Concomitant abscess/fistula, abscess or fistula detected at the time of laparotomy.