Ulcerative Colitis: Symptoms & Treatment
Generally, ulcerative colitis affects the sigmoid colon (the lower colon) and the rectum. However, it can affect any area in the large intestine/colon. The more area that is affected by ulcerative colitis, the more severe the symptoms. Ulcerative colitis affects only the top layer of the large intestine, causing swelling and open sores or ulcers to form on the surface of the lining. These ulcers can rupture, expelling blood and pus. In severe cases, the ulcers can weaken the intestinal wall to the point of causing a hole, leaking the contents of the large intestine into the abdominal cavity. This can lead to serious infection and requires immediate surgery. Though the causes of ulcerative colitis are unknown, doctors theorize that the immune system is attacking the digestive tract because of the normal bacteria that exists there. It runs in families and is generally diagnosed before the age of 30. Symptoms of ulcerative colitis include belly pain or cramps, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis can also be accompanied by a fever, diminished appetite, and weight loss. Because the patient has a hard time absorbing nutrients from food, it can cause other symptoms like joint pain, eye problems, and liver disease. Like other forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), patients can suffer from symptoms all the time, or they can go weeks or months without a flare up (known as remission). Roughly 5-10 percent of ulcerative colitis patients suffer from chronic symptoms. In severe cases, patients can suffer from diarrhea 10-20 times a day. http://www.livescience.com/40309-ulcerative-colitis.html
Ulcerative colitis control: an interview with Dr Paul Robinson, Medical Director, MSD UK
The drug we make, Remicade (infliximab), is an example and there are others being used and also being developed that interfere with the inflammatory process. The ultimate aim of treatment is a) to improve the patients' symptoms and b) to prevent them having to go to surgery and have part or all of their colon removed. Could you please outline the aims of the recent Ulcerative Colitis Condition, Attitude, Resources and Educational Study (UC CARES) study? I think there were three objectives. The first was to describe how many symptoms patients had and in particular, what impact the symptoms were having on their quality of life by interfering with their work productivity and social life, for example. The second aim was to assess how well their disease was being controlled and whether or not their symptoms were actually under control with the treatment they were receiving. The third aim was to understand how much the patients knew about the disease and whether they were satisfied that the treatment they were receiving was suppressing their symptoms to the extent that they would like. It was very much a case of asking patients with moderate or severe ulcerative colitis whether they were happy with the level of care and the level of symptom control that they were receiving, to help clarify whether medicine was being applied effectively and in a way that would render as many people as symptom free as possible. What were the main findings of this research? About 250 patients were surveyed from 11 countries across Europe and the main findings were that 87.2% of those patients did not have well controlled disease. By well controlled, we mean scoring two or less on a scale of 1 to 12 or 1 to 9. The rating scale was 1 to 12 if patients had undergone a colonoscopy and 1 to 9 if they had not, but essentially, we were looking for an extremely low score on a commonly used scale developed by the Mayo Clinic. The questionnaire asked about stool frequency and rectal bleeding, and also included an item where the doctor is asked how well they think the disease is controlled. Ulcerative colitis control: an interview with Dr Paul Robinson, Medical Director, MSD UK
Ulcerative colitis control: an interview with Dr Paul Robinson, Medical Director, MSD UK
The drug we make, Remicade (infliximab), is an example and there are others being used and also being developed that interfere with the inflammatory process. The ultimate aim of treatment is a) to improve the patients' symptoms and b) to prevent them having to go to surgery and have part or all of their colon removed. Could you please outline the aims of the recent Ulcerative Colitis Condition, Attitude, Resources and Educational Study (UC CARES) study? I think there were three objectives. The first was to describe how many symptoms patients had and in particular, what impact the symptoms were having on their quality of life by interfering with their work productivity and social life, for example. The second aim was to assess how well their disease was being controlled and whether or not their symptoms were actually under control with the treatment they were receiving. The third aim was to understand how much the patients knew about the disease and whether they were satisfied that the treatment they were receiving was suppressing their symptoms to the extent that they would like. It was very much a case of asking patients with moderate or severe ulcerative colitis whether they were happy with the level of care and the level of symptom control that they were receiving, to help clarify whether medicine was being applied effectively and in a way that would render as many people as symptom free as possible. What were the main findings of this research? About 250 patients were surveyed from 11 countries across Europe and the main findings were that 87.2% of those patients did not have well controlled disease. By well controlled, we mean scoring two or less on a scale of 1 to 12 or 1 to 9. The rating scale was 1 to 12 if patients had undergone a colonoscopy and 1 to 9 if they had not, but essentially, we were looking for an extremely low score on a commonly used scale developed by the Mayo Clinic. The questionnaire asked about stool frequency and rectal bleeding, and also included an item where the doctor is asked how well they think the disease is controlled. Ulcerative colitis control: an interview with Dr Paul Robinson, Medical Director, MSD UK
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