A new study led by Walker Redd, MD, at the UNC School of Medicine, examines how multiple factors contribute to the miscommunication and understanding of the digestive disease, microscopic colitis.
It’s a hidden cause of diarrhea and the development of the disease is poorly understood. Multiple factors work against the diagnosis of microscopic colitis, an inflammatory digestive disease, because the symptom distress compared to patients with other causes of chronic diarrhea remains unknown. Now, a new study published in journal Gastro Hep Advances, shows patients may be unsure of a diagnosis based on their colonoscopy results, patients may not be prescribed the proper medications, and many patients may remain symptomatic one year after colonoscopy.
The study, led by corresponding author Walker Redd, MD, a clinical outcomes and epidemiology fellow in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the UNC School of Medicine, involved a cohort of patients from April 1, 2015 to December 22, 2020 enrolled at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, NC. Patients participating in a follow-up survey included 74 with biopsy-confirmed microscopic colitis and 162 patients experiencing other causes of chronic diarrhea (diarrhea controls) after colonoscopy at a one-year follow-up.
“We thought it was important to better understand the burden of symptoms among those patients with microscopic colitis within the context of all patients undergoing colonoscopy to evaluate diarrhea,” Redd said.
Survey results in regard to a microscopic colitis diagnosis showed 10% were unaware of the diagnosis. Among the controls, 7% reported a diagnosis of microscopic colitis despite no clinical documentation. Researchers also found that 15% of controls either thought they had microscopic colitis or were unsure of their diagnosis. While most of the cases received either a letter or phone call with the pathology results, the authors emphasized the importance of considering whether patients with a new diagnosis of microscopic colitis may benefit from a follow-up visit in the gastroenterology clinic for education and treatment. These results highlight how clear communication is needed to address next steps after a diagnosis of the chronic disease.
“We were surprised that certain patients were unaware of their diagnosis and that some of the patients who remained symptomatic were not being treated with prescription medications because we would hope that patients understand their colonoscopy results and receive treatment for any ongoing symptoms,” said Redd. “Identifying and addressing gaps in the communication of diagnostic results is an important area for future research.”