Similar changes did not occur in the elemental diet group.

A common disadvantage is the taste of the elemental diet.

Other elemental diets such as Elental can be used that provide similar results.

The experiments involved elemental diets to healthy male graduate students.

Some patients require an elemental diet through the use of a specialty formula.

Patients receiving elemental diet remained in hospital for at least 10 days to ensure compliance.

Earlier relapse after elemental diet treatment has also been noted in paediatric patients.

As beneficial as the elemental diet is in patients, there are a few disadvantages.

During the early phase of reintroductions patients continued with elemental diet as a nutritional supplement.

After four weeks treatment with elemental diet, normal diet was reintroduced.

Nutritional treatment was used in eight patients (seven elemental diet, one total parenteral nutrition) for two to four months during the first year.

The relationship of these parameters with nutritional status and treatment with steroids or an elemental diet.

Serial anthropometric measurements did not improve in those completing four weeks treatment with elemental diet.

Elemental diets have the inconvenience, however, of being unpalatable, hyperosmolar, and expensive.

In children with Crohn's disease, elemental diet also improves or reverses growth retardation.

Twelve of these patients were receiving corticosteroid treatment and three elemental diet at the time of surgery.

The elemental diet provides a high nitrogen source for patients from amino acids and acts as a medical bypass.

Twenty two patients were randomised to receive elemental diet and 20 to receive prednisolone.

Of the 11 patients completing four weeks elemental diet, six were nourished and five malnourished at randomisation.

He was referred in 1984 and had a full clinical remission with elemental diet and began single food reintroductions.

Six prospective randomised trials have evaluated the efficacy of elemental diets in Crohn's disease.

Elemental diet has been shown to be as beneficial as corticosteroid treatment in children with Crohn's disease.

Of the 22 patients assigned to dietary treatment, nine (41%) could not tolerate elemental diet whether given orally or nasogastrically.

Our results show that relatively well nourished patients respond equally well to elemental diet as those with a poor nutritional state.

The efficacy of elemental diet treatment in controlling disease activity makes it an important potential alternative to traditional corticosteroid treatment, particularly for children.