The sad NSAID colon

The condensed article reports the results of the histopathologic evaluation of the colorectal biopsy specimens from 14 patients who developed abdomina l pain and bloody stools or diarrhea while receiving nonsteroidal anti-infl ammatory drugs (NSAIDs). All patients had a mixed inflammatory infiltrate ( predominantly neutrophilic in four patients and lymphocytic in two) and abo ut one-half also had minimal crypt disarray. The intestinal symptoms resolv ed in all patients after NSAIDs were discontinued, but there was no histopa thologic verification that the inflammatory changes had subsided. Nonspecific changes ("focal colitis"), similar to those described in this g roup, are present in most patients who undergo a colonoscopy for the invest igation of diarrhea. This article calls attention on one of the possible an d neglected causes for nonspecific colitis. However, larger controlled stud ies are needed to firmly establish a cause-and-effect relationship with NSA ID intake.