Inflammation of the large intestine is a large issue, which includes several different disease entities with different mechanisms of formation. Despite this variety of symptoms they cause, in many cases they are similar. It's helpful to find out when we're talking about colitis and what are the causes, symptoms, and treatments for the condition.

Contents:

  1. Colitis - causes
  2. Colitis - symptoms
  3. Colitis - course
  4. Colitis - types
    • ulcerative colitis
    • Leśniowski and Crohn's disease
    • ischemic colitis
    • microscopic colitis
    • infectious colitis
  5. Colitis - prophylaxis
  6. Colitis treatment

Colitisis a broad term for the pathological process of the colon, not the cause of it. Thus, they can be of an infectious and autoimmune basis, and in some cases their cause is unknown, which further complicates the proper diagnosis. Treatment is specific to each type of inflammation - from drugs that suppress the immune response to antibiotics, which is why it is so important to make a proper diagnosis.

Colitis - causes

Inflammation within the large intestine may arise as a result of various damaging factors: autoimmune processes, blood vessel diseases, the presence of pathogens. Several factors contribute to the inflammatory response:

  • increased permeability of blood vessels, thanks to which plasma proteins - complement, cytokines and antibodies penetrate the ongoing inflammation;
  • increasing the blood supply to the organ;
  • influx of inflammatory cells - leukocytes - mainly monocytes, neutrophils and plasma cells.

All these components of the inflammatory response are an expression of the body's defense, which either removes the damaging factor or at least reduces it.

Colitis - symptoms

Each disease causing inflammation of the intestine has specific symptoms resulting from differentthe causes of these diseases, and thus the different reaction of our body. However, there is a certain group of ailments related to the dysfunction of the large intestine, which occurs in most inflammations.

These include:

  • abdominal pain, usually in the lower part;
  • diarrhea;
  • constipation;
  • fever sometimes;
  • general malaise;
  • less frequent lower gastrointestinal bleeding;
  • weight loss.

Anemia and dehydration may appear secondary to these ailments.

Unfortunately, these symptoms are not very specific and sometimes they are caused by other diseases of the digestive system.

Colitis - course

This disease can be of two types: acute, when symptoms appear suddenly and progress rapidly, often with pain, severe diarrhea and bleeding. Such progression is typical of infectious diseases.

Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is delayed for quite a long time without showing any symptoms or they increase gradually, while the condition of the intestine continues to deteriorate and complications often arise. Treatment is usually long and difficult.

This development of the disease most often concerns ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Colitis - types

The most common inflammations of the large intestine are:

  • ulcerative colitis;
  • Crohn's disease;
  • ischemic colitis;
  • microscopic colitis;
  • infectious colitis, including pseudomembranous colitis.

Ulcerative colitis ( colitis ulcerosa )

This is called inflammatory bowel disease, the cause of this disease is not clear, genetic, autoimmune and infectious factors are taken into account.

Symptoms include diarrhea, often with blood, weakness, weight loss, and when the disease is particularly severe, dehydration and fever.

Ulcerative colitis varies over time and is different in intensity, and may affect the entire organ or part of it.

Laboratory tests show inflammatory markers - an increase in the number of leukocytes and CRP, and in imaging studies, we can observe ulceration in the intestine (mucosa defects) and disappearance of haustration, i.e. smoothing of the normally folded large intestine.

The diagnosis is based on the histopathological examination and the endoscopy image of the mucosa.

Treatmentthis inflammation depends on the severity and extent of the disease, aminosalicylates are used, i.e. anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticosteroids, which have a similar function, as well as immunosuppressive and biological drugs that affect the entire immune response or only some of its components.

In a very severe course of the disease, hospitalization is necessary, and sometimes also surgery. Unfortunately, ulcerative colitis can lead to complications such as inflammatory polyposis, cancer, or acute distension of the colon.

Crohn's disease

Like ulcerative colitis, it belongs to the so-called inflammatory bowel diseases, although this disease may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract.

If the process involves the colon, the symptoms are primarily weakness, fever, weight loss, as well as anemia, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

The results of additional tests indicate the presence of an inflammatory process - leukocytosis, increased CRP and ESR are typical, and the following are also helpful in the diagnosis: contrast radiological examination, ultrasound, CT and magnetic resonance imaging.

For diagnosis, however, an endoscopy with biopsy samples is required - it reveals swelling and ulceration in the mucosa.

Treatment is based on a proper diet (ensuring an adequate supply of electrolytes, vitamins and fluids), smoking cessation and pharmacotherapy.

Drugs that inhibit the inflammatory process - glucocorticosteroids, aminosalicylates, immunosuppressants, biological drugs, and, if necessary, antibiotics.

The method of administration, dosage and what preparations are used depend on the location and activity of the disease.

Sometimes, especially in the case of complications such as: fistulas, abscesses, intestinal obstruction, haemorrhage, bowel perforation, surgery is required.

Ischemic colitis

It is caused by a reduction in blood flow through the vessels supplying the large intestine, most often as a result of atherosclerosis (the same disease that is responsible for heart attacks and lower limb ischemia).

Symptoms usually appear suddenly, there is bleeding that stops spontaneously, a complication of this inflammation may be a narrowing of the intestine at the site of ischemia.

When the disease is sudden, caused by a sudden closure of the vessel, there is severe abdominal pain, hemorrhage and fever, which may lead to necrosis of the intestine and the necessity of its excision.

Diagnostics include contrast infusion, colonoscopy and computed tomography. Treatment may be pharmacological when the course is onmild or operative in the most severe cases.

Microscopic Colitis

It most often affects people over 60, as the name of this disease indicates, changes in the structure of the intestine can only be visualized under a microscope.

This inflammation does not cause changes that can be visualized in colonoscopy or radiological examinations, it is necessary to examine the specimen to make a diagnosis.

Symptoms are nonspecific, including: diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss and gas, and therefore ailments that may be a sign of other bowel diseases, including cancer.

Treatment is primarily pharmacotherapy - anti-inflammatory drugs.

Infectious colitis

This condition can be caused by many different microbes - bacteria (e.g.Salmonella ,Campylobacter ,Escherichia coli ), viruses (e.g. rotavirus, adenovirus) or parasites (e.g. amoebiasis, pinworm).

These diseases are most often transmitted through the ingestion, infection occurs through dirty hands or eating food from an unreliable source.

These inflammations cause diarrhea, sometimes bloody, stomach aches and fever, eventually leading to dehydration.

Most of these are viral infections, so symptoms resolve spontaneously, only supportive treatment is needed, especially hydration, proper diet and probiotics.

If we are dealing with a bacterial or parasitic infection, antibiotic therapy is usually necessary, not only to cure, but also to stop the infection of more people.

Pseudomembranous enteritis

Pseudomembranous enteritis is a special type of infectious disease, caused by Clostridium difficile and most often associated with "sterilization", damage to the intestinal microflora by recent antibiotic therapy and colonization of the intestine by pathogenic bacteria.

Diarrhea in this disease usually begins rapidly and can be very intense, and the microbe causing pseudomembranous enteritis is very contagious. In the treatment, one should first of all discontinue the antibiotics taken so far, and sometimes also introduce other antibiotics that work on this bacterium.

Colitis - prophylaxis

It is sometimes difficult to avoid colitis - in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis or microscopic inflammation there are no specific methods of prevention, as the cause of these diseases is multifactorial, often unknown.

It's worth it thoughremember that smoking has been proven to influence the occurrence of the former.

You can avoid ischemic inflammation by following the recommendations for the prevention of atherosclerosis - leading a he althy lifestyle with a proper diet, proper cholesterol levels, regular physical exercise, and above all, without smoking.

When it comes to infectious diseases, hygiene is the key - washing hands before preparing and eating meals, proper heat treatment, avoiding eating in places of unsanitary status and washing fruit and vegetables, as well as avoiding contact with sick people.

Colitis treatment

As described for each type of inflammation, treatment is diverse, often complex and dependent on the cause of the disease. Most often, the therapy begins with the so-called non-pharmacological methods - a proper diet, quitting smoking and drinking alcohol, and leading a he althy lifestyle.

If it is not effective, appropriate pharmacotherapy is instituted, and ultimately surgery. Remember that a proper diet is a light diet, consisting of easily digestible, cooked foods that are eaten in small amounts and often.

You should not eat sweets, fried, fatty, spicy and fast food.

Category:

Gastrology