Effect of Ensure®, a Defined Formula Diet, in Patients with Crohn’s Disease

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Abstract
A prospective controlled 6-month study was undertaken to compare the effect of Ensure®, a defined formula dietary supplement, and diet counselling in 122 outpatients with Crohn’s disease. The compliance to Ensure was poor due to a high incidence of side effects. Taking any amount of Ensure reduced the need for surgery and the amount of hospitalization. There was a trend for patients receiving Ensure to experience a decline in the value of their Crohn’s disease activity index (p < 0.10). No consistent effects of Ensure were seen on the amount of work missed due to Crohn’s disease, in laboratory measurements, in the need for prednisone or Salazopyrin®. The vitamin B12 intake was improved, but otherwise nutrient intake declined due to a decreased food intake. Thus, certain beneficial clinical trends were associated with taking Ensure, but larger numbers of compliant patients will need to be studied to bettter assess the long-term role of defined formula diets in the management of outpatients with Crohn’s disease.