Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disease sharing many features with Crohn's disease but differing in being confined to the colonic mucosa, without proximal involvement or penetration to the deeper layers of the bowel, in uncomplicated cases. Ulcerative colitis has changed face over time; once considered rare, it is now a major gastroenterologic problem in the developed world with changing demographics. The first controlled clinical therapeutic trial of corticosteroids in ulcerative colitis half century ago highlighted gastroenterology as an early exponent of evidence-based medicine. More recently, the prognosis of patients with severe disease has improved with attention to detail, critical care and the advent of immunomodulatory agents. However, despite remarkable advances, ulcerative colitis remains a significant burden on healthcare resources and a cause of much individual suffering.