Bovine lactoferrin and Crohn’s disease: a case study

Abstract

A 22-year-old male suffering from abdominal pain, repeated diarrhea, and weight loss visited the Digestive Disease Department of Nagoya City University Hospital on 19 December 2011. He was hospitalized and diagnosed with Crohn’s colitis. His Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI) was 415. Treatment by granulocyte apheresis, mesalazine, and adalimumab was started. His CDAI was 314 on 30 December and 215 on 5 January. A colonoscopic examination on 19 January showed almost complete remission in the transverse colon and marked remission in the rectum. Mesalazine therapy was stopped on 28 February, and the patient was instructed to self-inject 40 mg of adalimumab every other week. His CDAI was 50 on 10 April, indicating clinical remission. His last self-injection of adalimumab was on 24 April 2012, and he started taking 1 g of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) daily. His CDAI was 35 on 8 January 2013. He continued taking 1 g of bLF daily without any other treatment for Crohn’s disease. Laboratory blood tests on 7 September 2015 showed no sign of disease recurrence, and a colonoscopic examination on 23 October 2015 showed almost complete mucosal healing. This case indicates that ingestion of bLF to maintain Crohn’s disease in a remissive state should be further explored.