[Crohn disease and enteral nutrition: elemental or non-elemental?]

Analysis of controlled trials from the literature shows that enteral nutrition is an effective treatment of active Crohn's disease. Elemental and non-elemental diets are both effective, and studies comparing the two types of mixtures have failed to reveal any significant difference. However, elemental diets appear to act more rapidly and have a more marked effect on the inflammatory syndrome and exudative enteropathy. They should therefore be preferred whenever enteral nutrition is used with the aim of influencing the inherent progression of Crohn's disease.