Collagenous Colitis

Abstract

Collagenous colitis (CC) was first described in 1976 by Lindstrom after a rectal mucosal biopsy taken from a middle-aged woman with chronic watery diarrhea and crampy abdominal pain revealed a thickened subepithelial collagen layer. Patients with CC are usually middle-aged women. An autoimmune pathogenesis in CC has been suggest by some authors. Watery diarrhea is regarded as the primary symptom in collagenous colitis. Nocturnal diarrhea, abdominal pain and meteorism are fairly common. CC often have concomitant diseases of autoimmune origin. The three commonest are rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disorders and coeliac disease. Reported treatments have included antidiarrhelas, 5-aminosalicylic asid agents, steroids and even fecal diversion.