Differences in clinical history between patients with irritable bowel syndrome and those with microscopic colitis
| 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 |