From the Guidelines
The treatment of small bowel enteritis should focus on addressing the underlying cause while managing symptoms, with the most recent and highest quality study 1 suggesting that the goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation, control symptoms, prevent complications, and restore normal bowel function.
Treatment Approach
The approach to treatment depends on the underlying cause of the enteritis. For infectious causes, antibiotics may be prescribed based on the identified pathogen.
- For bacterial causes like Salmonella or Campylobacter, ciprofloxacin 500mg twice daily for 3-5 days may be used 1.
- For parasitic infections, metronidazole 500mg three times daily for 10-14 days may be used 1.
Inflammatory Causes
For inflammatory causes like Crohn's disease, treatment may include:
- Corticosteroids such as prednisone 40mg daily with a gradual taper 1.
- Mesalamine 2-4g daily 1.
- Immunomodulators like azathioprine 2-3mg/kg/day 1.
Supportive Care
Supportive care is essential and includes:
- Oral rehydration with electrolyte solutions 1.
- Anti-diarrheal medications like loperamide 2mg after each loose stool (maximum 8mg daily) for symptom control once infection is ruled out 1.
- Dietary modifications such as a low-residue diet during acute phases 1.
Severe Cases
For severe cases with significant dehydration, intravenous fluids may be necessary 1.
Treatment Duration
Treatment duration varies based on the cause, with infectious enteritis typically resolving within days to weeks with appropriate therapy, while chronic inflammatory conditions require long-term management 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Treatment for Small Bowel Enteritis
The treatment for small bowel enteritis, or inflammation of the small intestine, can vary depending on the underlying cause.
- For small bowel bacterial overgrowth, which is common in Crohn's disease, antibiotics such as metronidazole and ciprofloxacin have been shown to be effective 2.
- In the case of Crohn's disease, biologics and small molecule therapies may be used to induce and maintain clinical and endoscopic remission, although the efficacy of these treatments in isolated small bowel Crohn's disease is not well established 3.
- Antibiotics such as metronidazole and ciprofloxacin may also be used to treat inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, although the results of controlled trials are limited and definitive conclusions cannot be drawn 4.
- For small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), management should focus on the identification and correction of underlying causes, correction of nutritional deficiencies, and the administration of antibiotics 5.
- In some cases, such as cryptogenic multifocal ulcerous stenosing enteritis, surgery may be necessary to resolve symptoms and correct underlying issues 6.