Total parenteral nutrition and the function of the intestinal microflora in Crohn's disease.

The effect of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) on the following six intestinal micro-flora-associated characteristics (MACs) was studied in patients with Crohn's disease: faecal tryptic activity (FTA), formation of coprostanol, urobilinogen, and deoxycholic acid, and degradation of mucin and β-aspartylglycine. The FTA showed high levels before TPN, in accordance with previous findings, and decreased during TPN. Formation of coprostanol, urobilinogen, and deoxycholic acid was reduced in some patients, whereas no changes were found in the mucin and β-aspartylglycine degradation.