Examining systemic steroid use in older inflammatory bowel disease patients using hurdle models

This study by Sophia Johnson et al. sought to evaluate the relationship between patient characteristics and the frequency and duration of incident steroid use for inflammatory bowel disease. In a national Medicare sample, 21% of IBD patients without baseline steroid use used systemic steroids, despite general consensus that systemic steroid use should be limited. Odds of receiving systemic steroids were greater in patients that were younger, lived in rural areas, and receiving other agents. Available patient characteristics failed to predict longer steroid treatment duration.