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Article: Letter to the editor.(collagenous colitis information)(Letter to the Editor)
- Article from:
- Medical Update
- Article date:
- October 1, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Dear Editor:
Could you tell me what collagenous colitis is? No one has ever told me what "collagenous" means. Do nerves play a role in colitis?
R.A. Benson
Thornton, Colorado
The term "collagenous" refers to anything producing or containing collagen--a major protein found in connective tissue, cartilage and bone. Doctors diagnose collagenous colitis when tissue biopsy samples reveal a thicker-than-normal layer of collagen beneath the cells lining the large intestine.
Being anxious does not cause colitis but can increase frequency and duration of symptoms. Researchers believe collagenous colitis may be an autoimmune ...