Pseudomembranous collagenous colitis.

The classic clinical and histologic features of collagenous colitis are well characterized; however, the acute or neutrophilic inflammatory changes that may accompany this entity are less well established. In this report of 10 patients, we describe the first series of pseudomembranous collagenous colitis. Because superimposed Clostridium difficile infection was only demonstrated in one patient and no other causes of pseudomembranous colitis were evident in the remaining nine patients, we conclude that pseudomembranes are part of the spectrum of collagenous colitis itself. This case series illustrates the importance of searching for collagenous colitis in the evaluation of pseudomembranous colitis. At the same time, superimposed infectious or ischemic etiologies need to be excluded clinically in any patient with superimposed pseudomembranes. The existence of pseudomembranes in collagenous colitis also lends support to the hypothesis that toxin- and/or ischemia-mediated injury may be involved in the pathogenesis of collagenous colitis.