[Collagenous colitis. Clinicopathological study of 18 cases].
BACKGROUND
Collagenous colitis (CC) is an uncommon disease with a favorable prognosis. It is included in the group of chronic watery diarrheas.


OBJECTIVE
To study epidemiological and clinical characteristics of CC, as well as its course and response to the treatment.


METHODS
This is a descriptive, retrospective study of the endoscopic colon biopsies performed in Hospital de León during 5 years. Those biopsies that fulfilled the histological criteria of CC were selected.


RESULTS
A total of 18 cases with an incidence of 1.25/10(5) inhabitants/year was obtained. Mean age was 66.7 years. There was no difference between both genders. The period of time to diagnosis was long (10 months). A possible association with intake of some drugs, as non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (46%) and lansoprazole (42.8%), and smoking (41.6%), as well as autoimmune disease (30.7%) was found. There was a good response to the treatment with mesalazine in 2 of 3 patients who received this treatment. The clinical course was also favorable for the 2 patients treated with budesonide.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important to take multiple biopsies of the colon in order to diagnose CC when there is a case of chronic watery diarrhea even when the colonoscopy is normal. Certain drugs and autoimmune diseases may be involved in the etiology.
de la Iglesia Fanjul
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I
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital de León, León, España. delaidoc@hotmail.com
de Castro Losa
M R
MR
Izquierdo García
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D019819:Budesonide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D046729:Colitis, Collagenous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D019804:Mesalamine; D019819:Budesonide