[Collagen gastroenterocolitis].
BACKGROUND
Collagenous gastroenterocolitis is a recently known rare cause of chronic diarrhoea, that raises numerous nosological and diagnostic problems.


METHODS
A 41 year-old woman was hospitalised for severe diarrhoea, diagnosed as collagenous gastroenterocolitis. Gastroscopy and ileocolonoscopy were macroscopically normal, but a 20 to 40 microns thick sub-epithelial collagenous band was revealed in the gastric, duodenal and colic biopsies. Parenteral nutrition and treatment with salazopyrine and prednisolone progressively normalised the transit. Three months later, only a 30 microns colic mucosa collagenous band persisted. All the biopsies taken during control gastro-colonoscopy 2 years later were histologically normal. After 5 years follow-up and absence of treatment, the patient no longer presented diarrhoea or biological abnormality.


CONCLUSIONS
This exceptional observation is a reminder that sub-epithelial collagen deposits are not always limited to the colon and therefore justify, in patients with collagenous colitis, systematic gastro-duodenal and ileum biopsies.
Melki
M
M
Service de Médecine Interne E, Hôpital Saint Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, F34295 Montpellier.
Perney
P
P
Vandome
A
A
Roques
V
V
Durand
L
L
Joomaye
Z
Z
Le Bricquir
Y
Y
Parolini
I
I
Beaufort
P
P
Fléjou
J F
JF
Blanc
F
F
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003092:Colitis / Q000473:pathology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology
D003094:Collagen