Note. Values in parentheses are severity scores for the lesions (1, minimal; 2, mild; 3, moderate; 4, marked). Histopathological grading—villous atrophy: minimal = < 25% decrease in villous height; mild = ≥ 25 and ≤ 50% decrease in villous height; moderate = ≥ 50 and ≤ 75% decrease in villous height; marked = ≥ 75% decrease in villous height; apoptosis: minimal = < 5 apoptotic cells per 40× or high power field (HPF); mild = approximately ≥ 5 and ≤ 10 apoptotic cells per HPF; moderate = ≥ 10 and ≤ 20 apoptotic cells per HPF; marked = ≥ 20 apoptotic cells per HPF; crypt cell hyperplasia: minimal = ≥ 1 and ≤ 2 times the normal crypt depth; mild = ≥ 2 and ≤ 3 times the normal crypt depth; moderate = ≥ 3 and ≤ 4 times the normal crypt depth; marked = ≥ 4 times the normal crypt depth; and histiocytic infiltration in the villous lamina propria: minimal = a few macrophages in fewer than half of the villi; mild = macrophages in the villi which were readily discernible at 10× and present in ≥ 50 and < 75% of the villi.

Significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) from control by Fisher's exact test (severity scores were combined for statistical tests).