Microscopic colitides: A single center experience in Mexico

Background/aim: Microscopic colitis is characterized by chronic diarrhea and specific microscopic changes in a macroscopically normal colonic mucosa. In this paper, we report the clinical and histological features of a group of Mexican patients with microscopic colitis. Materials and methods: Patients were identified from 10 years of data in the pathology database of our institution. A pathologist reassessed all biopsy material. We included only patients who met strict histopathological criteria. Clinical data were obtained from medical records. Results: Microscopic colitis was diagnosed in 26 cases. The female/male ratio was 1.8:1. The median age at diagnosis was 56.5 ± 15.7 (range, 26-85) years. The most frequent symptoms were diarrhea in all, weight loss in 22 (84%), and abdominal pain in 18 (69%) patients. Sixteen (61%) patients reported associated diseases; autoimmune thyroid disorders were the most common. Drug-induced microscopic colitis was suspected in 12 (46%) patients. More than 80% of the treated patients improved or had clinical remission. Conclusion: Microscopic colitis is an uncommon colonic disease at our institution, representing less than 1% of the final diagnoses in mucosal colonic biopsies. It is the largest case series of microscopic colitis in the Mexican population.