[Microscopic ileitis as a cause of chronic diarrhea: study of cases and controls].

BACKGROUND

To observe microscopically the ileal mucosa invaded by lymphomononuclear in patients with chronic diarrhea, despite of normality of its endoscopic aspect leaded to name this discovery as microscopic ileitis. This investigation look answer to the question: is the microscopic ileitis associated to chronic diarrhea?

METHODS

Microscopic ileitis was looked for in 30 patients with chronic diarrhea and 30 without it, using cases controls design matched up according to sex and age with pathologist and endoscopists blinded to participant's condition. The OR was calculated by means of conditioned logistical regression. Additionally, sanguine mensurations of folic acid and B12 vitamin were made as signalers of malabsorption intestinal segment.

RESULTS

Microscopic ileitis was found in 27 of 30 cases and in 6 of 30 controls. The statistical analysis found an OR 21 [IC 95% 2,83-156.1] p = 0,003. The cases showed subnormal folic acid average but B12 vitamin was normal. CONCLUSION The microscopic ileitis is strongly associated and in a very probably causal way to the chronic diarrhea. The microscopic ileitis would express the concurrence of various processes initiated for a sympathetic over activity that, promoting the epithelial functional collapse, origins malabsortive chronic diarrhea.