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Ulcerative Colitis Introduction |
Ulcerative Colitis
is a chronic inflammatory disorder
of the large intestine (colon). It
is characterized by the uniform, diffuse ulceration and destruction
of the mucosal layer of the colon.
Breakdown of the mucosal layer
causes bloody diarrhea, which is the
chief complaint of individuals with
Ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative
colitis is one of the two
diseases included under Inflammatory
Bowel Disease (IBD); the other being Crohn's disease. Ulcerative Colitis
is different from Crohn's in many
ways. The most prominent
feature being that
Ulcerative Colitis involves only the colon, and only
the mucosal layer of the intestine. [1]
There is no known
cause for Ulcerative Colitis.
It is mediated by an immune reaction
against an unknown antigen
(environmental, dietary, infectious)
in the GI tract. There is
thought to be a familial
predisposition, though not strong. [2] However, studies have shown that
oxidative stress and damage from
free radicals has a role in the
pathogenesis of the disease.
Ulcerative
colitis affects men and
women equally. It is more prominent
in whites versus non-whites; with
the Jewish population being affected
the most. It is uncommon in
individuals from Asia and South
American. The mean age of incidence
is from 15-30, though incidence
peaks again between 50-70 years of
age. [3]
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Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms
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The primary
symptom of Ulcerative colitis is
bloody diarrhea. The initial attack
is usually very painful, and fever
can be present. Individuals can have
more than 10 bowel movements a day. The bowel movements are often filled
with blood, mucous, and pus. It is
not uncommon for leakage of fecal
material to be an issue, even when
sleeping.
Individuals with
Ulcerative colitis will also suffer
from fatigue, loss of appetite,
weight loss, Ulcerative Colitis, and
malabsorption. Complications of
Ulcerative colitis may include toxic megacolon
- an expansion of the
diameter of the colon greater than 6
cm. This secondary condition can result in perforation,
which is very dangerous. Another
complication is toxic colitis, when
the colon loses all tone, and does
not function any more.
Ulcerative
colitis increases ones risk
for developing Colon cancer. It
can also contribute to a myriad of
conditions, such as osteoporosis, problems
with the gallbladder, including
hardening and cancer of the bile
duct. Many patients may also develop
arthritis, skin diseases, eye
problems, and other autoimmune
diseases. [4]
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Ulcerative Colitis Statistics |
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In the US alone,
500,000 individuals have
Ulcerative colitis. Incidence is
estimated at 1-15 cases per
100,000 people. [5]
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20% of
individuals with Ulcerative
colitis will have a relative with
the disease. [6] 1/3 of individuals will require
some surgery.
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25-40% of
individuals with Ulcerative
colitis will have to have their
colon removed due to severe
bleeding.
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5% of
individuals with Ulcerative
colitis will develop colon cancer;
the risk is increased by 32 times
if the entire colon is involved. [7]
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Learn More About
Ulcerative Colitis |
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