Effect of modified Mediterranean diet supplemented with partial enteral nutrition in post-surgical patients with Crohn’s disease: a pilot clinical trial

Dietary intervention represents a promising strategy for managing post-surgical patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). This study aims to evaluate the effects of a modified Mediterranean diet (MMD) supplemented with partial enteral nutrition (PEN) for 4–5 weeks on quality of life in post-surgical CD patients, compared with exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN). The study was conducted at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The primary outcome was quality of life, measured using the 22-item inflammatory bowel disease quality-of-life questionnaire (IBDQOL-22) at the end of the intervention. Secondary outcomes included nutritional status and disease-related characteristics. Among 115 screened patients, forty-six were randomised to either the EEN group (<i>n</i> 24) or the MMD supplemented with PEN group (<i>n</i> 22). Twenty-three patients in the EEN group and twenty-two in the MMD supplemented with PEN group completed the study and were included for analysis. At the end of the intervention, both groups achieved similar 22-item inflammatory bowel disease quality-of-life questionnaire (IBDQOL-22) scores (EEN <i>v</i>. MMD supplemented with PEN: 88·43 (sd 9·17) <i>v</i>. 87·57 (sd 7·38), <i>P</i> = 0·734). In addition, both groups exhibited comparable nutritional status and disease-related characteristics (all <i>P</i> > 0·05). These results suggest that MMD supplemented with PEN provides comparable clinical benefits to EEN in post-surgical CD patients and may serve as an alternative nutritional strategy.