Microscopic colitis: A literature review

Abstract

SUMMARY Microscopic colitis (MC) refers to chronic inflammation of the colon which is characterized by histologic changes at the level of a radiologically and endoscopically normal mucosa. It is a common cause of chronic non-bloody diarrhea that occurs primarily in older individuals; however, there are few studies in the literature with strong scientific evidence compared to other inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which limits the knowledge of physicians and pathologists. This article aims to review the information on MC, describing diagnostic methods and drugs available for treatment. We conducted a search of the Pubmed database and CAPES Portal using the keywords “microscopic colitis”, “collagenous colitis”, “lymphocytic colitis”, and “review” for selection of articles published between 1996 and 2015 related to the topic. Based on the studies discussed in this review, we conclude that MC is a relatively new gastrointestinal disorder, most studies are incipient particularly with respect to pathophysiology and immunology, and budesonide is the best documented short-term treatment. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the best strategy for treatment in the long term.