[Enteral feeding--an alternative to parenteral feeding in the treatment of Crohn disease?]

Abstract

Efficiency of parenteral nutrition and tube feeding were compared in two groups of 25 patients each who suffered from active Crohn's disease. Indication for treatment in these patient groups was an acute phase of the disease with an activity index of higher than 150 and/or body weight below 80% of optimum weight. During the trial no other therapy was given. Target parameters were the Crohn index, body weight, serum albium, hemoglobin, and in a part of the patients the creatinine index. In both groups signs and symptoms of activity were reduced significantly and nutritional status was improved; however, there were now significant differences between groups. From these results the conclusion can be drawn, that enteral nutrition is essentially equally effective as parenteral nutrition in treatment of the acute phase of Crohn's disease. For this reason only patients where there is an absolute contraindication against tube feeding should be supplied with parenteral nutrition.