ulcerative colitis
Sign in to saveinflammatory bowel disease that causes ulcers in the colon
AI overview
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease in which the colon becomes inflamed and develops ulcers (open sores). It matters because it causes pain, digestive problems, and can significantly affect a person's quality of life and health.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Specialty
- Gastroenterology
- Symptoms
- Abdominal pain , diarrhea mixed with blood , weight loss , fever , anemia , dehydration , loss of appetite, fatigue , sores on the skin, urgency to defecate, inability to defecate despite urgency, rectal pain
- Complications
- Megacolon , inflammation of the eye, joints, or liver, colon cancer
- Usual onset
- 15–30 years or >60 years
- Duration
- Long term
- Causes
- Unknown
- Diagnostic method
- Colonoscopy with tissue biopsies
- Differential diagnosis
- Dysentery , Crohn's disease , ischemic colitis
- Treatment
- Dietary changes, medication, surgery
- Medication
- Sulfasalazine , mesalazine , steroids , immunosuppressants such as azathioprine , biological therapy
- Frequency
- 2 – 299 per 100,000
Article
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the two types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with the other type being Crohn's disease. It is a long-term condition that results in inflammation and ulcers of the colon and rectum. The primary symptoms of active disease are abdominal pain and diarrhea mixed with blood (hematochezia). Weight loss, fever, and anemia may also occur. Often, symptoms come on slowly and can range from mild to severe. Symptoms typically occur intermittently with periods of no symptoms between flares. Complications may include abnormal dilation of the colon (megacolon), inflammation of the eye, joints, or liver, and colon cancer.
The cause of UC is unknown. Theories involve immune system dysfunction, genetics, changes in the normal gut bacteria, and environmental factors. Rates tend to be higher in the developed world with some proposing this to be the result of less exposure to intestinal infections, or to a Western diet and lifestyle. The removal of the appendix at an early age may be protective. Diagnosis is typically by colonoscopy, a type of endoscopy, with tissue biopsies.