Lymphocytic colitis is a subtype of
microscopic colitis, a condition characterized by chronic non-bloody watery
diarrhea
Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin ...
.
Presentation
Causes
No definite cause has been determined. The peak incidence of lymphocytic colitis is in persons over age 50; the disease affects women and men equally. Some reports have implicated long-term usage of
NSAIDs,
proton pump inhibitors
Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a class of medications that cause a profound and prolonged reduction of stomach acid production. They do so by irreversibly inhibiting the stomach's H+/K+ ATPase proton pump.
They are the most potent inhibitor ...
, and
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of drugs that are typically used as antidepressants in the treatment of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and other psychological conditions.
SSRIs increase the extracell ...
, and other drugs. Associations with other
autoimmune disorders suggests that overactive immune responses occur.
Diagnosis
The
colonoscopy
Colonoscopy () or coloscopy () is the endoscopic examination of the large bowel and the distal part of the small bowel with a CCD camera or a fiber optic camera on a flexible tube passed through the anus. It can provide a visual diagnosis ( ...
is normal but histology of the mucosal biopsy reveals an accumulation of
lymphocytes in the colonic epithelium and connective tissue (
lamina propria).
Collagenous colitis shares this feature but additionally shows a distinctive thickening of the subepithelial collagen table.
Treatment
Budesonide, in colonic release preparations, has been shown in randomized controlled trials to be effective in treating this disorder.
It helps control the diarrheal symptoms and treatment is usually given for several weeks. Sometimes it is used to prevent frequent relapses.
Over-the-counter antidiarrheal drugs may be effective for some people with lymphocytic colitis. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as
salicylates,
mesalazine, and systemic
corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates, as well as the synthetic analogues of these hormones. Two main classes of corticosteroids, glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, are in ...
may be prescribed for people who do not respond to other drug treatment. The long-term prognosis for this disease is good with a proportion of people suffering relapses which respond to treatment.
History
Lymphocytic colitis was first described in 1989.
See also
*
Colitis
Colitis is swelling or inflammation of the large intestine ( colon). Colitis may be acute and self-limited or long-term. It broadly fits into the category of digestive diseases.
In a medical context, the label ''colitis'' (without qualification ...
References
External links
NIH eMedicine.com
{{Digestive system diseases
Inflammations
Colitis
Steroid-responsive inflammatory conditions