Table 7. Diet Therapies Compared to Steroid Medications in Crohn's Disease

First Author	Study Duration	Diet Patients	Steroid Patients	Diet	Steroid Dose	Results
Gonzalez-Hiux	4 weeks	15	17	Polymeric Diet	Prednisone 70 mg/day with tapering	12 of 15 diet patients achieved remission compared to 15 of 17 patients on steroids; relapse at one year = 66% in steroid patients versus 42% in diet patients.
Gorard	4 weeks	22	20	Elemental Diet	Prednisolone 52.5 mg/day with tapering	Disease activity (SEM) decreased from 4.8 to 1.7 in diet patients vs. 5.3 to 1.9 in steroid patients.
Malchow	6 weeks	51	44	Semi-elemental Diet	6-methyl Prednisolone 48-12 mg/day (tapered)	32 of 44 patients on steroid therapy experienced decreased CDAI vs. 21 of 51 patients on dietary therapy.
O'Morain	4 weeks	11	10	Elemental Diet	Prednisolone 52.5 mg/day with tapering	Similar improvement in clinical score and ESR was experienced by both groups. Diet group showed more improvement in hemoglobin and albumin values.
Riordan	12 weeks	40	38	Elemental Diet	Prednisolone 40 mg/day with tapering	Diet group showed median remission length of 7.5 months vs. 3.8 months in steroid group. Relapse rate at 2 years was 79% for steroid group and 62% for diet group.
Zoli	2 weeks	10	10	Elemental Diet	Prednisolone 0.5 mg/kg/day	Diet group had significant improvements in CDAI, ESR, intestinal permeability, body mass index, and prealbumin levels. Steroid group improvements were noted in disease activity and fat free body mass.

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