Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a disease of the inflammatory bowel disease group. In Europe, the incidence of the disease is about 10 per 100,000 cases per year. The incidence of UC is estimated to be three times that of Crohn’s disease in the same inflammatory group.
The main area of inflammation is the large intestine and rectum.
The inflammation causes cells on the surface of the lining of the colon to die, forming ulcers. The result is bleeding, as well as the secretion of mucus and pus with feces.
Characteristics of the disease are long periods of remission usually interrupted by an increasingly severe course.
Symptoms
The main, most characteristic symptom is bloody diarrhoea. During a mild course of the disease, this may be the only symptom.
Other symptoms that occur are:
Depending on the state of disease activity, the patient may have an increased number of bloody stools and more characteristic symptoms may appear. In patients with moderate disease activity, the number of stools is 5-6 per day. A severe course of the disease is manifested by passing more than 6 bloody stools per day.
Causes and risk factors
UC is an autoimmune disease characterised by an influx of T lymphocytes in the colon that attack the patient’s own cells. However, the main cause of the disease is not precisely known.
The incidence of UC is present in patients of all ages, with most being diagnosed by the age of 30-35. After age 50, an increase in the diagnosis of the disease is seen, usually in men.
Other risk factors include genetic predisposition, family medical history and Caucasian race.
Treatment and complications
The main treatments for UC are 5-aminosalicylic acid preparations, oral glucocorticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs. If drug treatment is unsuccessful, surgical treatment is sometimes necessary.
An alternative option for the treatment of UC is biologic therapy – many drugs are currently in clinical trials, but some are already being used more widely.
In Poland, reimbursable biologic treatments: infliximab, vedolizumab and tofacitinib are used in patients who don’t respond to standard treatment.
If you notice any symptoms, see your family doctor and gastroenterologist.
AmiCare Medical Center conducts clinical trials for patients with any course of UC.