Features favouring infective colitis over IBD
| Reliability | Feature | EL | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reliable | Absence of features of IBD | EL1a RGA | 1 25 26 33 58 |
| Preservation of normal crypt architecture | 1 25 32 | ||
| No crypt branching | 18 | ||
| Parallel crypts | 4 | ||
| Absence of basal plasmacytosis | 32 | ||
| Less reliable/limited data | Inflammation in upper half of lamina propria/increased cellularity of upper two-thirds of mucosa | EL1b RGD | 4 58 |
| Acute inflammation (rather than chronic/mixed inflammation) of the lamina propria | 18 | ||
| Superficial (rather than basal) giant cells | 25 | ||
| Superficial (rather than deep) crypt abscesses | 25 | ||
| Cystic crypt abscesses | 25 |
EL, evidence levels; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease.