A quantitative study of immunoglobulin containing cells in the differential diagnosis of acute colitis.
In colonic biopsies of 33 patients with acute colitis caused by campylobacter, salmonella, or shigella immunoglobulin containing cells were determined quantitatively using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique and morphometry with a graphic tablet. The findings were compared with those of 10 patients without histological abnormalities, 10 patients with Crohn's disease of the colon, and 10 patients with ulcerative colitis. Biopsies of patients with acute infectious colitis had increased numbers of IgA containing cells and to a lesser extent IgM containing cells but not IgG containing cells compared with controls. Compared with the patients with active chronic idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease the patients with acute colitis showed significantly lower relative and absolute numbers of IgG containing cells. We therefore conclude that quantitative assessment of immunoglobulin containing cells in colonic biopsies may be useful in the differential diagnosis of acute infectious colitis and chronic idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease.
This article has been cited by other articles:
-
Stallmach, A, Schafer, F, Hoffmann, S, Weber, S, Muller-Molaian, I, Schneider, T, Kohne, G, Ecker, K-W, Feifel, G, Zeitz, M
(1998). Increased state of activation of CD4 positive T cells and elevated interferon gamma production in pouchitis. Gut
43: 499-505
[Abstract] [Full Text]
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
