Objective:

To investigate the perspectives and clinical practice patterns of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) physicians in mainland China regarding the use of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in Crohn’s disease (CD).

Key Findings:

• 90.4% of respondents prescribed 5-ASA for CD patients.
• 5-ASA was primarily used for mild disease (91.7%) and colonic involvement (77.9%).
• 58.1% used 5-ASA for induction therapy, and 83.1% for maintenance therapy.
• 75.5% cited its favorable safety profile as a rationale for prescribing 5-ASA.
• 89.2% of those using 5-ASA did so in combination regimens, predominantly with corticosteroids (90.3%).

Interpretation:

Despite evidence and guidelines recommending against 5-ASA use in CD, it is widely prescribed by Chinese clinicians, indicating a significant gap between clinical practice and evidence-based recommendations, which may delay the initiation of more effective therapies.

Limitations:

• The survey relied on self-reported data, which may introduce bias.
• The definition of 'mild CD' was subjective and not standardized.
• Regional variations in practice may not be fully captured.

Conclusion:

The prevalent use of 5-ASA in CD management among Chinese clinicians highlights the urgent need for targeted continuing medical education to align practice with evidence-based guidelines.