Clinical Research
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 7, 2005; 11(9): 1351-1355
Published online Mar 7, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i9.1351
Microscopic colitis: A retrospective study of clinical presentation in 53 patients
Zsolt Barta, Gabriella Mekkel, István Csípö, László Tóth, Szabolcs Szakáll, Gábor G. Szabó, Gyula Bakó, Gyula Szegedi, Margit Zeher
Zsolt Barta, Gabriella Mekkel, Gábor G. Szabó, Gyula Bakó, Gyula Szegedi, Margit Zeher, István Csíp , Third Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
László Tóth, Szabolcs Szakáll, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Zsolt Barta, M.D., Third Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, H-4012 Debrecen, Móricz Zs. krt 22, Hungary. mailtobarta@iiibel.dote.hu
Telephone: +36-52-414-969 Fax: +36-52-414-969
Received: May 27, 2004
Revised: May 28, 2004
Accepted: July 22, 2004
Published online: March 7, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the relationship between symptoms and microscopic colitis (MC) subtypes: to test whether collagenous colitis (CC) and/or lymphocytic colitis (LC) might be related to both constipation and diarrhea.

METHODS: A cohort of patients with independently confirmed typical histopathological changes was investigated. Fifty-three patients with histologically proved MC (46 with CC, 7 with LC) were included. The existence of diarrhea or constipation and the co-existence of autoimmune diseases were also investigated and all data were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS: Twenty-three (43.39%) of MC patients had chronic constipation (20 in CC, 3 in LC patients). Twenty-four (45.28%) of MC patients had autoimmune disease and the diagnosis of autoimmune disease was always prior to MC. Sjögren’s syndrome was associated only with the constipation subgroup.

CONCLUSION: The Janus face of MC resembles the subgroups of irritable bowel syndrome. The co-existence of autoimmune diseases and MC is confirmed in both the constipation and diarrhea subgroups.

Keywords: Microscopic colitis; Constipation; Autoimmune