Description

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes long-lasting inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the large intestine, including the colon. When the condition affects the entire digestive tract, it is called Crohn’s disease (CD).

Both UC and CD are caused by an autoimmune response that reflects the involvement of the innate and adaptive immune systems. The disease mechanism is complex, but appears to start when a normal immune response to a bacterial infection does not stop properly after the infection is fought off. The resulting inflammation leads to the symptoms of both UC and CD.

Patient Groups

Crohn's and Colitis Foundation (CCF)

Prevalence

US Cases: 1,500,000 to 2,010,000 [Dahlhamer 2016] (using 45% as the ratio of UC to total IBD patients)

Typical Age of onset

Most common between the ages of 15-40 (usually before the age of 30) but it can occur at any age.

Symptoms

These symptoms vary depending on the severity of inflammation and where it occurs:

• diarrhea, often with blood or pus

• abdominal pain and cramping

• rectal pain

• fever

• urgency to defecate

• inability to defecate despite urgency

• weight loss

• sores on the skin

• joint pain

• fatigue

• loss of appetite

• anemia

• dehydration

• stunted growth in children

Resources

Link to Clinical Trials

Link to Scientific Publications

References

Mayo Clinic

Medical News Today

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Medline

Profile by Candace Habte