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Multiple vitamin status in Crohn's disease. Correlation with disease activity
1Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Digestive Diseases and Sciences
|September 1, 1993
Summary
Patients with Crohn's disease often have vitamin deficiencies, particularly fat-soluble vitamins A and E, and several B vitamins, before treatment begins. Vitamin B2 and nicotinic acid levels may indicate disease severity.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional biochemistry
- Gastroenterology
- Clinical nutrition
Background:
- Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
- Nutritional deficiencies are common in Crohn's disease patients, impacting disease management and outcomes.
- Understanding pre-treatment vitamin status is crucial for effective therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate serum and red blood cell vitamin concentrations in treatment-naïve Crohn's disease patients.
- To compare vitamin levels between Crohn's disease patients and healthy controls.
- To explore correlations between vitamin levels and Crohn's disease activity.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study comparing 24 Crohn's disease patients with 24 healthy controls.
- Measurement of serum, blood, and red cell concentrations of various fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins.
- Assessment of Crohn's disease activity using the Crohn's disease activity index.
Main Results:
- Significantly decreased levels of fat-soluble vitamins A and E in Crohn's disease patients.
- Depletion of water-soluble vitamins B1, B2, B6, and folic acid.
- Vitamin B2 and nicotinic acid levels negatively correlated with Crohn's disease activity index.
Conclusions:
- Pre-treatment Crohn's disease is characterized by a spectrum of vitamin deficiencies.
- Vitamin B2 and nicotinic acid concentrations may serve as biomarkers for disease severity.
- These findings highlight the importance of nutritional assessment in early Crohn's disease management.