title: Effect of short-term partial enteral nutrition on the treatment of younger patients with severe Crohn's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the effect of short-term supportive temporary partial enteral nutrition therapy for treating severe pediatric Crohn's disease (CD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective, open-label study in pediatric patients with CD (n=78) from January 2007 to December 2011. The CD patients were divided into three groups according to disease severity (mild, moderate, and severe). Seventeen patients with severe CD received short-term partial enteral nutrition (SPEN) in addition to their general diet for 4 weeks after the induction of remission with medical treatment. This SPEN group was further divided into two groups by age (<13 years, ≥13 years). Nutritional parameters and Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index scores were analyzed at the initial enrollment and following 1 year of treatment for all groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nutritional status improved substantially after 1 year of treatment in the severe CD group. Nutritional status in the SPEN group improved considerably more than that in the non-SPEN group. Additionally, the <13-year-old group demonstrated better nutritional status improvement than the ≥13-year-old group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SPEN may be effective in pediatric patients with severe CD for improving nutritional status and moderating disease severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yunkoo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Crohn disease; Disease activity; Nutritional status; Partial enteral nutrition; Younger age