Gender- and age-related features of the morphological state of the mucous membrane of the colon in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases

Abstract

Background. The importance of the problem of chronic bowel diseases is beyond doubt today. This is confirmed by unknown origin, lack of specific treatment, the development of life-threa­tening complications, the need for long, often life-long, expensive therapy and adverse prognosis. The majority of patients are persons of young working age, whose average age is 20–35 years. But in 30–50 % of cases, the disease can manifest at any age. Purpose was to conduct morphological evaluation of the mucous membrane of the colon in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases depending on the age and gender. Materials and methods. We have examined biopsy specimens of the mucous membrane of the colon in patients who were treated at the department of intestinal diseases of the State Institution “Institute of Gastroenterology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine” and were distri­buted by gender and age. Results. When analyzing the morphological and functional state of the mucous membrane of patients, signs of moderate and clearly pronounced chronic nonspecific inflammation were revealed in nonspecific ulcerative colitis. In Crohn’s disease, manifestations of chronic nonspecific inflammation of the first degree were observed in both men and women. The allergic component of inflammation represented by eosinophils was noted in all cases. An impaired crypt architectonics, depletion of the mucin layer and a breach in the integrity of the epithelium were also noted. Conclusions. Young patients had a more pronounced morphological picture of chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the colon in nonspecific ulcerative colitis. Men with nonspecific ulcerative colitis experience greater depletion of the mucin layer and impaired crypt architectonics in young and middle age, and with Crohn’s disease, such signs are more common in women. Also in patients with Crohn’s disease, fibrosis of the colon mucosa was noted.