Colonoscopic Findings in Peruvian Patients with Chronic Diarrhea

OBJECTIVE: To report the colonoscopic and pathological findings in patients with chronic diarrhea from a gastroenterology unit during approximately 3 years in a general teaching hospital located in Lima-Peru. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with chronic diarrhea as the motive for colonoscopy from March 2008 to December 2010 were selected from the colonoscopy report computerized database. Colonoscopic findings were registered. Biopsies taken during the procedure were prospectively reviewed. RESULTS: 226 patients were included, of which 162 (71.7%) had a colon biopsy available. The average age of the patients was 53.6±16.36. 85.8% of patients were reported to have a normal colon. 14.8% of patients were found to have a normal colonic mucosa or mucosal edema, 35.8% of patients had lymphocytic colitis and 28.4% had paucicelular colitis. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of colonoscopies were reported with unremarkable macroscopic findings. Lymphocytic colitis was unusually frequent compared to previous reports.