Collagenous colitis

Collagenous colitis
Micrograph of collagenous colitis. H&E stain.
Classification and external resources
Specialty	gastroenterology
DiseasesDB	2955
eMedicine	med/1351
MeSH	D046729
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Collagenous colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease affecting the colon specifically with peak incidence in the 5th decade of life, affecting women more than men. Its clinical presentation involves watery diarrhea in the absence of rectal bleeding. It is often classified under the umbrella entity microscopic colitis, that it shares with a related condition, lymphocytic colitis.

Microscopic colitis causes chronic watery diarrhea with greater than 10 bowel movements per day. Some patients report nocturnal diarrhea, abdominal pain, urgency, fecal incontinence, fatigue, dehydration and weight loss. Patients report a significantly diminished quality of life.

The cause of collagenous colitis is unknown.

On colonoscopy, the mucosa of the colon typically looks normal, but biopsies of affected tissue usually show deposition of collagen in the lamina propria, which is the area of connective tissue between colonic glands. Radiological tests, such as a barium enema are also typically normal.

Treatment of collagenous colitis is often challenging. Typically, one or more of the following therapeutic agents are used:

Pilot-scale studies have shown some evidence of possible benefit for both Boswellia serrata extract and specific strains of probiotics in the treatment of collegenous colitis, although larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the results.

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