The Effect of Vitamin D3 to Maintain Surgical Remission in Postoperative Crohn's Disease

The majority of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) need to undergo surgical bowel resection. Postoperative recurrence of the disease is virtually inevitable and continues to be one of the most challenging therapeutic problems in inflammatory bowel diseases. Medical treatments to prevent recurrence have had limited effect. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents appear promising but are hampered by immunogenicity, side effects and high cost. Vitamin D has recently received a lot of scientific attention and was found to have strong anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects in gut and liver inflammation. Many CD patients appear to have deficiency in Vitamin D. A controlled trial to prevent relapse of CD in medical (not surgical) remission suggested a preventive effect for Vitamin D but marginally missed its endpoint because of lack of power. The ultimate proof of the anti-inflammatory effect of Vitamin D in CD can best be studied in the prevention of postoperative recurrence.