Ulcerative Colitis

Current ulcerative colitis treatments have limited efficacy after one year and can cause serious side effects. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with increasing worldwide incidence. An estimated 900,000 people in the United States have ulcerative colitis, accounting for approximately 250,000 office visits annually. Between 10% and 30% of UC patients develop systemic extra-intestinal manifestations driven by inflammation, including joint pain, eye inflammation, and skin lesions. Bloody diarrhea is the hallmark symptom of ulcerative colitis. UC inflammation is confined to the superficial mucosal layers of the large intestine, distinguishing it from Crohn's disease. Ulcerative colitis pathogenesis likely involves mucosal immune activation driven or maintained by gut microbiota dysbiosis. Family history is the single most important independent risk factor for UC, with a first-degree relative multiplying individual risk fourfold. UC carries long-term complications including colorectal cancer, osteoporosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis.