Microscopic colitis: Struggling with an invisible, disabling disease.
Katarina Pihl Lesnovska, Andreas Münch, Henrik Hjortswang
PMID 31090966WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with microscopic colitis described frequent watery stools, urgency and fear of incontinence as disabling, socially isolating and anxiety provoking, even when blood, stool and examination results did not reflect their symptoms.
Key findings
01Patients described microscopic colitis as an invisible, disabling disease that affected everyday life.
02Watery diarrhoea, urgency and fear of incontinence caused embarrassment and social withdrawal.
03Worry about cancer, surgery or an ostomy bag remained even during remission.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (15) and came from one outpatient clinic in south-east Sweden. Most participants were female, Swedish-born and older adults, so the experiences may not represent all patients with microscopic colitis. The study explored patient experiences, not the effectiveness of any treatment or nursing intervention. The paper does not report how findings varied by disease activity or medical treatment.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that microscopic colitis is mild because routine tests do not show it. Participants said blood, stool and examination results did not reflect their symptom burden, and they faced mistrust from relatives and healthcare providers.