Clinical course of collagenous colitis over a period of 10 years.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of patients with collagenous colitis 10 years after the diagnosis.


METHODS
In 1989/1990, 65 patients were diagnosed to have collagenous colitis. Initially and after an interval of ten years these patients were asked to complete a questionnaire including onset and duration of diarrhea, stool frequency and consistency, other gastrointestinal symptoms including weight loss, drug history, treatment response and concomitant diseases.


RESULTS
Questionnaires from 47 patients (72.3 %) (female 40; mean age 68 years, range 41 - 95 years) were available for analysis. After a follow-up of ten years, 11 patients (23.4 %) had persistent diarrhea with no change of frequency and consistency compared to baseline. Four patients (8.5 %) showed a reduction of diarrhea frequency of at least 50 %. Diarrhea was resolved in 23 patients (48.9 %) during the follow-up period. Of those, 20 patients received anti-inflammatory treatment. After a complete resolution of diarrhea during the long-term follow-up, 9 patients (19.2 %) showed recurrence of diarrheal symptoms. None of the patients developed any malignancies of the GI-tract.


CONCLUSIONS
The long-term outcome of CC is benign with a resolution of diarrhea in up to 50 % of patients receiving anti-inflammatory treatment. About 30 % of patients may experience persistent diarrhea even 10 years after diagnosis. Our data confirm that CC is a chronic disorder with a variable course of symptoms during a long-term follow-up.
Madisch
A
A
Medical Department I, University Hospital Dresden. ahmed.madisch@uniklinikum-dresden.de
Miehlke
S
S
Lindner
M
M
Bethke
B
B
Stolte
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D046729:Colitis, Collagenous / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents