Effect of VSL#3 on Intestinal Permeability in Pediatric Crohn's Disease

Inclusion Criteria:

• Current diagnosis of small bowel or colonic Crohn's disease as defined by histologicaland endoscopic criteria.

• Males or females ages 11-17 years.

• Crohn's disease in remission as defined by a Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) < 10

• Patients on maintenance doses of aminosalicylates, 6-MP and/or Azathioprine for atleast 2 months.

• Procurement of written informed consent signed by the subject's legal guardian andstudy investigator(s) and patient assent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with documented intestinal stricture.

• Patients with signs of symptoms of systemic or intestinal infection.

• Antibiotic use the previous 1 month.

• Probiotic use in the previous 2 months (excluding yogurt).

• Use of the following medications; Methotrexate, Cyclosporine, Tacrolimus andInfliximab.

• Patients with diagnosis of other co-morbid diseases such as heart disease, renaldisease, immunodeficiency, diabetes, or thyroid disease.

• Patients with indwelling catheters.

• Patients with short bowel syndrome

• Positive urine pregnancy test for female subjects