Effect of exclusive enteral nutritional treatment on plasma antioxidant concentrations in childhood Crohnʹs disease

Background & Aims Oxidative stress and depletion of antioxidants may play a role in the pathogenesis of Crohnʹs disease (CD). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of exclusive enteral nutrition, which is increasingly being used as primary therapy for CD, on plasma antioxidant concentrations in children with active CD. Methods In a double-blind randomised controlled trial, 15 children with active CD (mean age, 11.3 years, range 6.8–15.7) attending a paediatric gastroenterology referral centre, were assigned to receive either a standard polymeric diet (Group S, n=8) or a glutamine-enriched polymeric diet (Group G, n=7) as primary therapy for active CD. Plasma concentrations of selenium, urates, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, glutathione, and also malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks of exclusive enteral nutritional treatment. Results Mean (95% CI) selenium concentration of the cohort increased significantly from 0.82 μmol/l (0.72, 0.91) to 1.14 μmol/l (0.98, 1.3), P<0.001. There were, however, significant reductions in mean concentrations of vitamin C {11.8 mg/l (7.7, 15.8) to 6.5 mg/l (4.5, 8.7), P=0.01} and vitamin E {11.3 mg/l (10.3, 12.4) to 9.4 mg/l (8.7, 10.1), P=0.03}. The concentrations of vitamin A, urates, glutathione and MDA did not change significantly over the study period. Glutamine supplementation did not have any significant effect on plasma antioxidant concentrations. Conclusions Significant changes in circulating antioxidant concentrations occurred in children with active CD receiving exclusive enteral nutritional treatment. Glutamine supplementation was not beneficial in improving plasma antioxidant status