Undifferentiated colitis

Undifferentiated colitis is a disease that combines the signs of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

The disease is severe, often affects the rectum. For accurate diagnosis, colonoscopy, biopsy, and other methods are recommended. However, with a long course of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in 10% of patients, it is not possible to accurately diagnose one of the diseases, even with the help of surgical material.

The inflammatory process in Crohn's disease occurs in certain parts of the gastrointestinal tract, both in the oral cavity and in the anus, and is accompanied by extensive ulcers, whereas in UC the process extends to the entire mucous membrane of the affected intestine and covers the deep layers of the intestinal wall.

There are some differences in the clinical symptoms of these diseases. In ulcerative colitis, the patient experiences severe pain in the left side of the abdomen, whereas in Crohn's disease, pain is usually present in the right lower abdomen. However, not always during the initial examination, the doctor is able to distinguish between these diseases, and the correct diagnosis is made only in the process of a thorough examination and treatment of the patient.

To distinguish between diseases and correctly establish a diagnosis, it helps to take tissue samples (biopsies) of the large or small intestine during a colonoscopy. If granulomas are found in them, then the patient has Crohn's disease.

Approximately 80% of patients with undifferentiated colitis are later diagnosed with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease . Of these, more than 80% of the disease takes on the features of ulcerative colitis, and 15% eventually turns out to have Crohn's disease .

The correct diagnosis has a fundamental impact on the treatment. For example, surgical treatment for ulcerative colitis is much more effective than for Crohn's disease, since resection of the affected organ contributes to a complete cure, while in Crohn's disease after surgery there are relapses.

In the Moscow Clinical Scientific Center named after A. S. Loginov, the treatment of patients with undifferentiated colitis is carried out by specialists of the department of treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Do not delay your visit to the specialists of our Center. This will help to diagnose the disease in a timely manner and choose the right treatment tactics. Doctors of the department of treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases of the State Medical Institution of the Moscow State Medical Center named after A. S. Loginov are always ready to help you.