Prevalence of Microscopic Colitis in Patients With Chronic Diarrhoea at a General District Hospital

Aims Microscopic Colitis (MC) is a cause of chronic, non-bloody diarrhoea and is characterised by endoscopically normal mucosa with characteristic histological findings. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of MC in patients investigated for chronic diarrhoea at a general district hospital.

Methods We retrospectively reviewed and analysed data from all colonoscopies undertaken for the investigation of chronic non-bloody diarrhoea between August-December 2019 at our hospital. A total of 810 patients were identified with 43 patients excluded, leaving a total of 767 patients analysed in our study. Of the patients excluded 8 were due to histological findings suggestive of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), 9 due to adenocarcinoma on histology and 26 due to macroscopically abnormal mucosa with non-specific changes on histology. Of the patients included in the study we analysed patient demographics, endoscopic findings and histological reports.

Results Out of 806 patients, 42 patients (5.5 %) had histologically confirmed MC with an even distribution of collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis. 470 patients (61.3 %) had normal histological samples and 255 (33.2 %) had other findings, including adenoma and hyperplastic polyps.

The median age of those with MC was 69.5 years (21-85), 12.5 years older (p<0.001) compared to the median age of patients with normal findings 57 years (17-85).

Of patients diagnosed with MC 92.9 % had continuous diarrhoea compared to 73.8 % of patients with normal findings (p <0.001).

Conclusions In a district general population the prevalence of MC in patients with chronic diarrhoea was 5.1 % with even distribution of the twos subtypes. Our data shows that MC is more prevalent in older patients and in those with continuous rather than intermittent diarrhoea. Further research is needed to determine other factors which may distinguish patients at higher risk of MC.

Citation: Kassir Y, Ayeboa-Sallah B, La Cava R etal. eP275 PREVALENCE OF MICROSCOPIC COLITIS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DIARRHOEA AT A GENERAL DISTRICT HOSPITAL. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S188.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021