[Usefulness of colonoscopy with biopsy for the study of patients with chronic diarrhea]

the endoscopic evaluation of the colonic mucosa complemented with biopsy sampling may be very useful in the study of patients with chronic diarrhea. However its value in daily practice has not been extensively explored.

to know the utility of colonoscopy with systematic biopsy sampling in the study of the patients with chronic diarrhea.

patients with chronic diarrhea (loose stools and frequent bowel movements for at least four weeks) were examined with colonoscopy and biopsy sampling for systematic histologic examination; even in patients with a normal-appearing mucosa. Patients with the following were excluded: a diagnosis of HIV infection/AIDS, previous colon surgery, known inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, anemia or involuntary weight loss.

a total of 109 patients were included (63 females, mean age 52 years). Colonoscopy was normal in 53 cases (49%) and abnormal in 56 (51%). The biopsies showed a specific disease in 31 cases (28%), non-specific changes in 58 (53%) and normal mucosa in 20 (18%). Microscopic colitis (lymphocytic or collagenous colitis) was detected in 12 cases (11%) all of them with a normal colonoscopy. Colonoscopy with systematic biopsy sampling allowed making a specific diagnosis in 31 of patients (28%).

colonoscopy with systematic biopsy sampling is very useful in the study of patients with chronic diarrhea, since it established a specific diagnosis in 28% of the patients and 11% with microscopic colitis, all of them with normal mucosa.