The role of total parenteral nutrition in the management of patients with acute attacks of inflammatory bowel disease

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the prolonged duration of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) on the clinical, laboratory, and nutri tional parameters and short-term outcome in acute attacks of ulcerative col itis and Crohn's colitis, and the difference in the response to TPN between the two diseases. Twenty-two patients with severely and moderately active ulcerative colitis (8 severe and 14 moderate) and 12 patients with Crohn's colitis were analyzed retrospectively. Eleven of 22 patients with ulcerativ e colitis were treated with TPN and corticosteroids (TPN group). The remain ing 11 patients were treated with corticosteroids alone and hospital meals (oral diet group). Both groups were matched regarding disease severity at p retreatment. The clinical characteristics, and the initial and total dosage s of corticosteroids for 3 weeks were similar between the two,groups. The a uthors compared the changes in the clinical, inflammatory, and nutritional parameters and short-term outcome between the TPN and the oral diet groups with ulcerative colitis. The same evaluations were also made for 12 patient s with Crohn's colitis who received TPN (CD group). The TPN group did not s how any significant improvement in the clinical parameter, inflammatory sig ns, or nutritional state compared with the oral diet group with ulcerative colitis. The remission rate after 3 weeks of therapy and a colectomy rate a lso showed no significant difference between the two groups. In contrast, T PN resulted in a disappearance of clinical symptoms and an improvement in b oth the inflammatory and nutritional parameters in the CD group. only one o f the 12 patients with Crohn's colitis underwent colectomy. TPN induced no additional benefit in corticosteroid therapy in an acute attack of ulcerati ve colitis. In contrast, TPN may have primary effects on Crohn's colitis.