Clinical history variable | Irritable bowel syndrome | Microscopic colitis |
First occurrence of disease | Usually before 50 years of age | Usually after 50 years of age |
Stool consistency | Soft‒variable‒hard | Watery/soft |
Abdominal pain/discomfort | Obligatory | Variable |
Nocturnal diarrhoea | Very unlikely | Possible |
Feeling of incomplete bowel evacuation | Common | No |
Weight loss | Rare | Common |
Faecal incontinence | Rare | Common |
Feeling of fullness/bloating | Common | Rare |
Accompanying autoimmune disease | Rare | Common |