Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the patients with UC

Demographic variables

 Age, years

45.7 ± 14.1

49.3 ± 13.4

35.6 ± 11.1

 Male gender

31 (62.0)

26 (70.3)

5 (38.5)

 Body mass index

21.5 (19.3–23.5)

22.0 (19.4–23.8)

20.6 (18.0–22.1)

Duration from UC diagnosis, years

38.3 ± 14.1

41.2 ± 14.4

30.1 ± 9.8

Smoking status at diagnosis

 Never smoked

31 (62.0)

18 (48.6)

13 (100.0)

 Ex-smoker

16 (32.0)

16 (43.2)

0 (0.0)

 Current smoker

3 (6.0)

3 (8.1)

0 (0.0)

Previous intestinal resection surgery

2 (4.0)

1 (2.7)

1 (7.7)

UC disease location

 Proctitis (E1)

3 (6.0)

2 (5.4)

1 (7.7)

 Left sided (E2)

19 (38.0)

15 (40.5)

4 (30.8)

 Pancolitis (E3)

28 (56.0)

20 (54.1)

8 (61.5)

Prior anti TNF therapy use

 1

36 (72.0)

26 (70.3)

10 (76.9)

 ≥ 2

14 (28.0)

11 (29.7)

3 (23.1)

Disease activity index

 Mayo score 6–10

25 (50.0)

19 (51.4)

6 (46.2)

 Mayo score 11–12

25 (50.0)

18 (48.6)

7 (53.8)

Laboratory variables

 Hemoglobin, g/dL

10.3 (10.0–11.6)

10.3 (10.0–11.8)

10.3 (10.1–11.1)

 Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, mm/h

13.0 (10.8–38.8)

13.0 (11.0–64.5)

13.0 (10.0–48.5)

 Serum C-reactive protein, mg/dL

0.5 (0.3–1.2)

0.5 (0.3–1.0)

0.5 (0.3–11.0)

 Serum albumin, g/dL

2.9 ± 0.7

2.9 ± 0.7

3.0 ± 0.7

Causes of discontinuation of anti-TNF

 Primary non-response

8 (16.0)

5 (13.2%)

3 (23.1%)

 Secondary non-response

38 (76.0)

28 (75.7%)

10 (76.9%)

 Adverse event

4 (8.0)

4 (10.8%)

0 (0.0%)

Concomitant medication

 Steroid

18 (36.0)

13 (35.1)

5 (38.5)

 Immunomodulator

21 (42.0)

21 (56.8)

0 (0.0)

 5-aminosalicylic acid

49 (98.0)

36 (97.3)

13 (100.0)