Indications and options of nutritional treatment for Crohn's disease. A comparison of elemental and polymeric diets.

Several studies on enteral nutrition undertaken by our group led to the following findings: (1) A semielemental diet was as effective as an elemental diet in inducing remission. (2) A low-residue diet was useful for the maintenance of remission, with the effect depending upon the quantity given. (3) Intractability to enteral nutrition was found in patients with long-standing disease, in those with severe activity, and in those with colonic disease. Currently there is insufficient evidence to make specific recommendations for altering accepted indications for nutritional therapy.