Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Controlled trial comparing two types of enteral nutrition in treatment of active Crohn's disease: elemental versus polymeric diet.
  1. D Rigaud,
  2. J Cosnes,
  3. Y Le Quintrec,
  4. E René,
  5. J P Gendre,
  6. M Mignon
  1. Service d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France.

    Abstract

    To determine whether an elemental diet or a polymeric defined formula diet would be more effective for treating active Crohn's disease, we conducted a prospective randomised clinical trial in 30 patients with active Crohn's disease unresponsive to steroids and/or complicated by malnutrition. They received a four to six week enteral nutrition course with either an elemental diet or a polymeric diet. Clinical remission occurred in 10 of the 15 patients on elemental diet compared with 11 of the 15 patients assigned to polymeric diet. Both groups showed similar improvements in nutritional status, biological inflammation, alpha 1 antitrypsin clearance, and colonoscopic lesions (diminished in 17 out of 24 patients). Most patients relapsed during the year after discharge. We conclude that enteral nutrition, whatever the diet, is an efficient primary therapy for active Crohn's disease but does not influence the long term outcome.

    Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.