Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disease belonging to the group of chronic functional gastrointestinal disorders. Variety of symptoms and lack of macroscopic and structural pathologies in colon, make IBS a challenge both in diagnosis and in medication. According to the last reports, the role of chronic minimal inflammation in colon mucosa is becoming more relevant.
Aims: The aim of this study was to verify the microscopic and macroscopic changes in colon mucosa in patients with IBS.
Methods: A retrospective study of microscopic changes and macroscopic lesions in colon, due to endoscopy biopsies in the group of 89 patients diagnosed with IBS in an average age of 47 years.
Results: Mild inflammation of colonic mucosa in lamina propria was observed in 92% patients, 34% presented other inflammatory cells. No statistical relationship between macroscopic lesions (in 44% cases) and lymphatic infiltration was observed.
Conclusions: Low grade inflammation of lamina propria in colon was observed among patients with IBS. Beside the edema of the lamina propria, no correlation between macroscopic and microscopic changes was found. Despite the fact that IBS is a functional disorder, in many patients occur morphological changes in colon mucosa. Further studies are necessary.