Nutrition in Crohn Disease
Nutrition in Crohn Disease
Nutrition plays an important role in the pathogenesis, treatment, and morbidity of Crohn disease. Approximately two thirds to three fourths of hospitalized patients with active disease and one fourth of outpatients with Crohn disease are malnourished. Malnutrition, which can be present even when Crohn disease is in remission, can affect growth, cellular and humoral immunity, bone density, and wound healing. Decreased nutrient intake, malabsorption, drug-nutrient interactions, anorexia, and protein-losing enteropathy can all contribute to the protein-calorie malnutrition and other specific nutrient deficiencies seen in Crohn disease. Therefore, by preventing and correcting nutrient deficiencies, nutritional therapy is an important component in the overall management of patients with Crohn disease.
Crohn disease (CD) is a chronic transmural inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract of unknown cause. Since Drs. Crohn, Ginzburg, and Oppenheimer were initially credited with describing Crohn disease in 1932, weight loss has been recognized as a predominant feature of the disease. Many subsequent studies have demonstrated that nutrition and nutritional deficiencies are important factors in the pathogenesis, treatment and morbidity of CD. Malnutrition can be present even in patients whose disease is quiescent. In one representative study of outpatients with CD, 11 of 47 (23%) patients had abnormalities indicating protein-energy malnutrition. Significant deficiencies of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements can also exist in patients with CD, whether they are inpatients or outpatients ( Table 1 ).
Nutrition plays an important role in the pathogenesis, treatment, and morbidity of Crohn disease. Approximately two thirds to three fourths of hospitalized patients with active disease and one fourth of outpatients with Crohn disease are malnourished. Malnutrition, which can be present even when Crohn disease is in remission, can affect growth, cellular and humoral immunity, bone density, and wound healing. Decreased nutrient intake, malabsorption, drug-nutrient interactions, anorexia, and protein-losing enteropathy can all contribute to the protein-calorie malnutrition and other specific nutrient deficiencies seen in Crohn disease. Therefore, by preventing and correcting nutrient deficiencies, nutritional therapy is an important component in the overall management of patients with Crohn disease.
Crohn disease (CD) is a chronic transmural inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract of unknown cause. Since Drs. Crohn, Ginzburg, and Oppenheimer were initially credited with describing Crohn disease in 1932, weight loss has been recognized as a predominant feature of the disease. Many subsequent studies have demonstrated that nutrition and nutritional deficiencies are important factors in the pathogenesis, treatment and morbidity of CD. Malnutrition can be present even in patients whose disease is quiescent. In one representative study of outpatients with CD, 11 of 47 (23%) patients had abnormalities indicating protein-energy malnutrition. Significant deficiencies of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements can also exist in patients with CD, whether they are inpatients or outpatients ( Table 1 ).
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