Microscopic colitis
Evidence: Unconfirmed
Names
Microscopic colitis
Description
Microscopic colitis occurs with severe inflammation of the large intestine, or the colon. It results in persistent and watery diarrhea. Microscopic colitis can’t be identified with a colonoscopy, so tissue samples from the colon must be examined under a microscope. There are three different subtypes:
Collagenous colitis results from a thick layer of the protein collagen developing in the tissue.
Lymphocytic colitis results from an increase in white blood cells in the tissue.
Incomplete microscopic colitis is a combination of collagenous and lymphocytic colitis.
It is under debate whether collagenous and lymphocytic colitis are different phases of the same condition.
Patient Groups
Bloggers
None
Prevalence
US Cases: 330,000 [Pardi 2006]
Typical Age of onset
60-70 years of age
Source: Wickbom et al (2017)
Symptoms
Chronic water diarrhea
Abdominal pain, cramping, bloating
Weight loss
Nausea
Fecal incontinence
Dehydration
