Epidemiological risk factors in microscopic colitis: a prospective case-control study.

Background: The cause of collagenous colitis (CC) and lymphocytic colitis (LC) is unknown and epidemiological risk factors for CC and LC are not well studied. The aim was to evaluate in a case-control study epidemiological risk factors for CC and LC.

Methods: In all, 120 patients with CC, 70 with CL, and 128 controls were included. For all cases and controls information was prospectively recorded. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed separately for CC and LC.

Results: Independent associations observed with the diagnosis of CC were: current smoking (odds ratio [OR], 2.4), history of polyarthritis (OR, 20.8), and consumption of lansoprazole (OR, 6.4), low-dose aspirin (OR, 3.8), beta-blockers (OR, 3.6), and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (OR 0.20). In the case of LC they were: current smoking (OR, 3.8), associated autoimmune diseases (OR, 8), and consumption of sertraline (OR, 17.5), omeprazole (OR 2.7), low-dose aspirin (OR, 4.7), and oral antidiabetic drugs (OR, 0.14).

Conclusions: The consumption of drugs, current smoking, and associated autoimmune diseases were independently associated with the risk of microscopic colitis.