title: Two gastrointestinal conditions with similar symptoms and endoscopic appearance: irritable bowel syndrome and microscopic colitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal condition characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any organic cause. This trial investigated the presence of microscopic colitis (MC) and associated factors related to MC in patients diagnosed with IBS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group (group I) consisted of 91 consecutive patients diagnosed with IBS based on the Rome III Criteria for whom colonoscopic examination was requested. The control group (group II) had 41 patients diagnosed with IBS considered as eligible for colonoscopic investigation due to specific conditions, and for whom colonoscopic examination was recommended for screening purposes due to a familial history of colon cancer. Clinical data, endoscopic findings, and the effects of the therapy were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the diarrhea-predominant IBS group, nine patients (9.89%) were diagnosed with microscopic colitis, seven with lymphocytic colitis (7.69%), and two with collagenous colitis (CC) (2.19%). None of the patients in group II were found to have MC (P = 0.007). There were no diagnoses of MC in the constipation-predominant and mixed type IBS groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians should keep MC in mind for patients presenting with diarrhea-predominant IBS symptoms.
authors.forename: Zahide
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Şimşek
authors.forename: Nazife Candan
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alagüzlü
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karaahmet
authors.forename: Şahin
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Çoban
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dursun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D046728:Colitis, Microscopic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology