The factors associated with patients experiencing more postoperative complications as determined in the univariate analysis were male gender, age over 40 years at the time of surgery, a diagnosis of UC, severe anaemia, corticosteroid use, higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and nutritional parameters such as low serum cholesterol and albumin levels during the preoperative period (Table 3). This evidence concerns the gene ALB and anemia (phenotype).