• Centers and Departments
• Back to Digestive Disease Center
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program
• Meet Our Team
• Crohn's Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
  • What is ulcerative colitis?
  • What causes ulcerative colitis?
  • What are the symptoms of ulcerative colitis?
  • How is ulcerative colitis diagnosed?
  • How is ulcerative colitis treated?
  • What about surgery for ulcerative colitis?
  • What is the role of dietary factors in ulcerative colitis?
  • What are the implications for fertility and pregnancy?
  • What is the clinical course and long-term complications of ulcerative colitis?
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Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the colon (large intestine) accompanied in severe cases by ulcers in the lining of the colon. This section will help you better understand your disease and how it is treated.

• What is ulcerative colitis?
• What causes ulcerative colitis?
• What are the symptoms of ulcerative colitis?
• How is ulcerative colitis diagnosed?
• How is ulcerative colitis treated?
• What about surgery for ulcerative colitis?
• What is the role of dietary factors in ulcerative colitis?
• What are the implications for fertility and pregnancy?
• What is the clinical course and complications of long-term ulcerative colitis?

References

1. Vermeire S, Rutgeerts P. Current status of genetics research in inflammatory bowel disease. Genes Immun. 2005 Dec;6(8):637-45.
2. Farrell RJ, Peppercorn M. Ulcerative colitis. Lancet. 2002 Jan 26;359(9303):331-40.
3. Moss AC, Peppercorn MA. Combined oral and topical mesalazine treatment for extensive ulcerative colitis. Nat Clin Pract Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006 May;3(5):290-3.
4. Timmer A; McDonald J; Macdonald J. Azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine for maintenance of remission in ulcerative colitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jan 24;(1):CD000478.
5. Sartor RB. Therapeutic manipulation of the enteric microflora in inflammatory bowel diseases: antibiotics, probiotics, and prebiotics. Gastroenterology. 2004 May;126(6):1620-33.
6. Langmead L, Rampton DS. Review article: complementary and alternative therapies for inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Feb 1;23(3):341-9.
7. Metcalf AM. Elective and emergent operative management of ulcerative colitis. Surg Clin North Am. 2007 Jun;87(3):633-41.