[Microscopic colitis: collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis].
Microscopic colitis is currently classified as a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder and encompasses two entities: lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis. Patients with microscopic colitis present with a well-tolerated chronic watery diarrhea, sometimes with abdominal pain. Colonoscopy is normal. Diagnosis of microscopic colitis is established by histologic examination of colonic biopsies, showing a thickened subsurface collagen band higher than 10 microm in collagenous colitis, and an increased number of surface intra-epithelial lymphocytes higher than 20 lymphocytes per 100 epithelial cells in lymphocytic colitis. Causes of microscopic colitis are still unknown, although a drug-induced etiology is found in some cases. Patients are usually treated with budesonide but recurrences are frequent.
Service d'anatomie pathologique, CHU d'Amiens, Place Victor-Pauchet, 80054 Amiens cedex 01. Chatelain.denis@chu-amiens.fr
Denis
D
Chatelain
Nassima
N
Mokrani
Jean-François
JF
Fléjou
D046729:Colitis, Collagenous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D046730:Colitis, Lymphocytic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D046728:Colitis, Microscopic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015995:Prevalence