Collagenous & Lymphocytic Colitis: Introduction

What are Collagenous and Lymphocytic Colitis? Collagenous and lymphocytic colitis are clinical and pathologic syndromes representing forms of microscopic colitis that affect the large intestine. Both disorders usually present in middle-aged patients in the fifth or sixth decade of life. Collagenous colitis primarily affects women. The predominance in the female to male population is 8:2. Lymphocytic colitis is found in both men and women with an equal male-to-female gender distribution. Those affected by lymphocytic colitis are slightly younger; the mean age of onset is 53 years. In both disorders, most patients present with complaints of chronic, watery, noninfectious diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Clinical and histology differences do exist between lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis. These disorders rarely affect children.