Practice patterns in the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents in the management of Crohn's disease: a US national practice survey comparing experts and non-experts.

Background: The US Food and Drug Administration currently approves three types of anti-tumor necrosis factor α (anti-TNFα) therapy for treatment of moderate to severe Crohn's disease. There are no guidelines to clarify which of the drugs may be better suited to individual clinical scenarios.

Aims: We gathered national data on the prescribing pattern, comfort levels, and algorithms gastroenterologists use for management of their biologic-requiring Crohn's disease patients.

Methods: An internet survey was mailed to members of the American Gastroenterology Association. Responses were separated into "non-expert" and "expert" physician groups on the basis of whether a practice consisted of >50% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. We compared experts with non-experts with regard to the use of the three anti-TNF agents, attitudes regarding their relative efficacy, and their experience with adverse events.

Results: Of 3,990 eligible gastroenterologists, 473 replied in full (11.9%). Sixty (12.6%) respondents met the criterion for IBD expert physician. Experts were comfortable using both immunomodulators and anti-TNFα therapy. Community physicians were equally comfortable prescribing 6-mercaptopurine, azathioprine, infliximab, and adalimumab, but less comfortable than experts with methotrexate (56 vs. 86%, P<0.05) and certolizumab (68 vs. 89%, P<0.05). Expert physicians were much more likely to have encountered adverse reactions to anti-TNFα therapy.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that experts are more comfortable using a broader array of medical therapy than non-expert physicians. Although both groups had similar concerns regarding side-effects of anti-TNFα therapy, expert physicians were much more likely to have managed a broad range of complications in their patient population.