Colitis
Colitis | |
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microscopic correlate of colitis. H&E stain. | |
Specialty | Gastroenterology |
Colitis is swelling or
In a medical context, the label colitis (without qualification) is used if:
- The cause of the inflammation in the colon is undetermined; for example, colitis may be applied to Crohn's disease at a time when the diagnosis is unknown, or
- The context is clear; for example, an individual with ulcerative colitis is talking about their disease with a physician who knows the diagnosis.
Signs and symptoms
The
Common symptoms of colitis may include: mild to severe
More severe symptoms may include:
Other less common or rare
Signs seen on
Diagnosis
Symptoms suggestive of colitis are worked-up by obtaining the
An important investigation in the assessment of colitis is biopsy for histopathology. A very small piece of tissue (usually about 2mm) is removed from the bowel mucosa during endoscopy and examined under the microscope by a histopathologist. A biopsy report generally does not state the diagnosis, but should state any presence of chronic colitis, give an indication of disease activity, as well as state the presence of any epithelial damage (erosions and ulcerations).[4]
Histopathology findings generally associated with chronic colitis include:[4]
-
Crypt degeneration
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Crypt branching and other architectural distortions
-
Paneth cell (pictured) or gastric metaplasia (only applies in the left colon and rectum)
Other findings include basal plasmacytosis and mucin depletion.[4] Histopathology findings generally associated with active colitis include:[4]
-
Neutrophilic cryptitis (neutrophils within crypt epithelium)
-
Crypt abscesses (luminal neutrophilic aggregates)
-
Gland destruction
-
Ulceration (seen here as absence of epithelium, and granulation tissue with many fibroblasts)
Types
There are many types of colitis. They are usually classified by the cause.
Types of colitis include:
Autoimmune
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – a group of chronic colitides.
- Ulcerative colitis (UC) – a chronic colitis that affects the large intestine.
- Crohn's disease (CD) – another type of IBD that often leads to colitis.
Unknown
- Microscopic colitis – a colitis diagnosed by microscopic examination of colonic tissue; macroscopically ("to the eye") it appears normal.
Treatment-caused
- Diversion colitis
- Chemical colitis
- Chemotherapy-induced colitis
- Radiation colitis
- Checkpoint inhibitor induced colitis
Vascular disease
Infectious
- Infectious colitis
A subtype of infectious colitis is
Unclassifiable colitides
Indeterminate colitis is the classification for colitis that has features of both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.[7] Indeterminate colitis' behaviour is usually closer to ulcerative colitis than Crohn's disease.[8]
Atypical colitis is a phrase that is occasionally used by physicians for a colitis that does not conform to criteria for accepted types of colitis. It is not an accepted diagnosis per se and, as such, a colitis that cannot be definitively classified.[citation needed]
Treatment
Some people may be admitted into the hospital following the colonoscopy depending on results. It is sometimes necessary to get the patient started on a steroid to speed up the healing of the colon. It may also be necessary to get the patient hydrated from the fluid loss and iron replaced from the loss of blood. After a hospital stay, the patient may be put on a daily medication to manage their chronic colitis. The medication can be an anti-inflammatory or an immunosuppressant. There are many different types of medication used and the doctor will prescribe the one they see fit. If the patient doesn't respond, new medications will be tried until there is a good fit.[citation needed]
Moreover, several studies recently have found significant relationship between colitis and
Microbiome modification
The use of oral probiotic supplements to modify the composition and behaviour of the microbiome has been considered as a possible therapy for both induction and maintenance of remission in people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. A Cochrane review in 2020 did not find clear evidence of improved remission likelihood, nor lower adverse events, in people with Crohn's disease, following probiotic treatment.[13]
For ulcerative colitis, there is low-certainty evidence that probiotic supplements may increase the probability of clinical remission.
Research
In the lab, the
In 2022, Yang et al. published a report on a successful treatment, using mesenchymal stem cells, of experimental colitis in mice.[17]
Additional research was conducted by Huang et al. that analyzed specific genes and biological markers that are associated with the risk of colon cancer development in patients with colitis. The results showed a correlation between certain biomarkers and the development of disease.[18]
Colitis is common in parts of the world where
References
- ^ "Colitis". www.pennmedicine.org. July 1, 2021. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
- ^ a b c NHS Choices. "Ulcerative colitis - Symptoms - NHS Choices". www.nhs.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
- ^ "Diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis | NIDDK". National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
- ^ .
- ^ "Clostridium Difficile Colitis – Overview". WebMD, LLC. Retrieved 2006-09-15.
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- ^ "Study shows CRISPR effectiveness against colitis pathogen". medicalxpress.com. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
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Early clinical trials suggested that exposure to helminths such as Trichuris suis or Necator americanus can improve IBD.
- ^ Coronado Biosciences (November 7, 2013). "Coronado Biosciences Announces Independent Data Monitoring Committee Recommendation to Discontinue Falk Phase 2 Trial of TSO in Crohn's Disease". Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
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