Mild Cecal Inflammation Is Normal in Healthy People

In patients with chronic diarrhea, gastroenterologists often perform biopsies on the colon to look for microscopic colitis. In these cases, what is the appropriate diagnosis if only mild cecal inflammation is found? Pathologists have noted anecdotally that such inflammation can be found in normal ceca, but some gastroenterologists still diagnose colitis based on these findings and prescribe potentially inappropriate anti-inflammatory treatment.

To determine the range of normal cecal inflammation in a healthy cohort, investigators evaluated cecal and rectal biopsy specimens from 85 adults who had no gastrointestinal symptoms or history of GI disease. Two observers independently scored the histologic features of each biopsy specimen on a scale…