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Exclusive enteral nutrition induces early clinical, mucosal and transmural remission in paediatric Crohn’s disease

  • Original Article—Alimentary Tract
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Abstract

Background and aims

Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) induces clinical and mucosal healing (MH) in Crohn’s disease (CD), with MH the best determinant of future outcome. We investigated efficacy of EEN for inducing early clinical, biochemical, mucosal and transmural remission of CD and related early endoscopic response to outcomes at 1 year.

Methods

In a prospective, open label study 34 children (mean 13.1 years; 21 males) with new diagnosis CD were offered EEN, 26 completed a minimum 6 weeks EEN and underwent paired clinical, biochemical and endoscopic assessment at start and completion using PCDAI, BMI, CRP and Simple Endoscopic Score for CD (SES-CD). A subset, 16/26, had paired MR enterography scored. Early good endoscopic response (complete MH, or near complete, SES-CD 0–3) was related to outcome at 1 year.

Results

EEN improved mean PCDAI (37.88–7.01, p < 0.001; BMI Z scores (−1.54 to −0.54, p < 0.01); weight Z score (−0.79 to −0.08, p < 0.03); CRP (44.86–5.5, p < 0.001); endoscopy (SES-CD 14.28–3.88, p < 0.001) and MRE (5.14–2.79, p = 0.01). Of 26 children, 22 (84 %) achieved clinical remission; 20 (76 %) biochemical remission. Fifteen (58 %) had early good endoscopic response (11 complete, 4 near complete MH) and 3/14 (21 %) had complete transmural remission of ileal CD (MRE-CD: 0–1). Early good endoscopic response was associated with reduced endoscopic confirmed relapse (53 vs. 100 %, p = 0.02), anti-TNF use (33 vs. 88 %, p = 0.01) and hospitalisation (40 vs. 88 %) at 1 year.

Conclusions

EEN is effective for inducing early clinical, biochemical, mucosal and transmural remission. Early endoscopic remission improves outcomes at 1 year.

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Acknowledgments

ANZ Trustees, Queensland Medical Research institute Brisbane.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queensland Children Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Zubin Grover & Peter Lewindon

  2. Queensland Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology, Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Zubin Grover & Richard Muir

  3. Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Peter Lewindon

Authors
  1. Zubin Grover
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  2. Richard Muir
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Correspondence to Zubin Grover.

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Grover, Z., Muir, R. & Lewindon, P. Exclusive enteral nutrition induces early clinical, mucosal and transmural remission in paediatric Crohn’s disease. J Gastroenterol 49, 638–645 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-013-0815-0

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