S. Tabrez et I. Roberts, Nutrition and immunity in inflammatory diseases of the gut (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), J CLIN LIG, 23(2), 2000, pp. 122-129
Although Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are conditions of unknown e
tiology, an inflammatory cascade occurs in the intestine in both diseases.
The recent therapeutic advances which have focused on the blockade of tumor
necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) with a specific antibody and down-regula
tion of the inflammatory process utilizing interleukin-10 analogues as trea
tment for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are reviewed. Nutritional
therapies such as parenteral and enteral nutrition have been shown to have
efficacy in the treatment of Crohn's disease, but not ulcerative colitis.