Qiu Y, et al. - The effect of azathioprine (AZA) on disease progression in a cohort of patients with early Crohn's disease (CD) was evaluated. Risk factors associated with intestinal surgery in patients with early CD were prior bowel resection, smoking, and hemoglobin <110 g/L at the time of initiation of AZA. However, prolonged use (≥ 36 months) of AZA was correlated with a more favorable disease course of the early CD.