Elemental diets may accelerate recovery from total parenteral nutrition-induced gut atrophy

Prolonged bowel rest and total parenteral nutrition lead to gastrointestinal mucosal atrophy. The possibility that enteral diets of varying composition could have a beneficial effect in reversing total parenteral nutrition-associated gut atrophy was investigated. A group of male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive TPN for 10 days, followed by 10 days of elemental or regular food. The effects of these diets on body mass, gastro-intestinal index (intestinal weight divided by body weight), mucosal incorporation of titrated thymidine, and intestinal villi length were compared. Significant gut villi atrophy and use of gut weight occurred in rats receiving TPN and bowel rest compared with the fed control group. These changes were significantly reversed by elemental diets, but not by rat food diets. We conclude that elemental diets may enhance gut recovery after prolonged TPN and bowel rest in a rat model.