Histological and Histochemical Changes in the Jejunal Mucosa in Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Binder, Vibeke, Söltoft, J. & Gudmand-Höyer, E. Histological and histochemical changes in the jejunal mucosa in ulcerative colitis. Scand. J. Gastroent. 1974, 9, 293-297.

Jejunal biopsy specimens were obtained at the ligament of Treitz from 21 patients suffering from severe ulcerative colitis. Biopsy was repeated in 14 of the patients after remission of the colon disease. Eleven of the 21 patients with active colitis had minor changes in the villous patterns, while 10 showed a normal mucosal structure. The surface/volume ratio was found to be significantly lower in active than in inactive colitis even in the mucosal biopsy specimens without visible histological changes. The villous changes were not correlated to the degree of diarrhea nor to the degree of general disease i.e. weight loss, anemia, fever. Judged by an estimation of the cell density in the lamina propria, there were no signs of inflammation in the mucosal stroma in active disease compared to inactive. No consistent changes were found in the oxidative enzymes in the epithelial cells. Acids and alkaline phosphatases were inconsistently lowered in active as well as in inactive ulcerative colitis, and so were β-galactosidase and α-glucosidasc. A generally affected physical state is considered a possible cause of the changes in the small intestine in ulcerative colitis.

Key-words::

• Histochemistry
• small intestine
• ulcerative colitis