[Microscopic colitis]. / Colitis microscópica.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Microscopic colitis is responsible for a proportion of difficult diagnosis cases with chronic diarrhea. Diagnosis is clinically suspected when chemical and macroscopic examination result negative and is made only by histopathologic findings. OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical, biochemical, colonoscopic, and histologic features and the treatment response of four cases with microscopic colitis. METHODS: We inform on the findings in four females patients presenting with chronic watery diarrhea with normal biochemical and colonoscopic tests. RESULTS: In these cases, diagnoses mode were lymphocytic colitis two and collagenous colitis two. The long term duration of watery diarrhea was 5 months. The average number of depositions were 10 in 24 h. Diagnosis was made after microscopic examination of the colonic mucosa in the absence of endoscopic abnormalities and normal chemistries. All patients had a satisfactory response to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of microscopic colitis is made by histopathology findings. The therapeutic response is generally satisfactory.