How to check for colitis and what are the items to check for

Colitis is a common disease and patients may experience symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. The examination of colitis is mainly through stool examination, colonoscopy, blood test and so on. Colitis is generally caused by bacterial infection, so anti-inflammatory treatment is the main focus.

(1) Blood tests show that hemoglobin levels are mostly normal or slightly decreased in mild cases , and slightly or moderately decreased, or even severely decreased, in moderate and severe cases. The white blood cell count may increase during the active phase. Accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and increased C-reactive protein are signs of the active phase. In severe cases, serum albumin decreases.

(ii) Fecal examination

Routine stool examination often shows mucus, pus and blood when viewed with the naked eye, red blood cells and pus cells when viewed under a microscope, and macrophages during acute attacks. The purpose of stool etiology examination is to rule out infectious colitis. It is an important step in the diagnosis of this disease and needs to be performed repeatedly (at least 3 times in a row).

3. Colonoscopy

This examination is one of the most important means of diagnosis and differential diagnosis of this disease. The entire colon and terminal ileum should be examined to directly observe changes in the intestinal mucosa, take biopsies, and determine the extent of the lesion. The lesions of this disease are continuous and diffuse, starting from the rectum at the anus and extending retrogradely upward. Important changes seen under endoscopy include: blurred, disordered or disappeared mucosal vascular texture, congestion, edema, brittleness, bleeding and adhesion of purulent secretions. Colonoscopic mucosal biopsy histology showed diffuse chronic inflammatory cell infiltration, disordered crypt architecture, decreased goblet cells and Paneth cell metaplasia.

(IV) X-ray barium enema examination

When full colon examination is difficult, barium enema examination is used as an adjunct. Barium enema examination is not recommended for severe or fulminant cases, as it may aggravate the condition or induce toxic megacolon.