Course and prognosis of ulcerative colitis.

A study of 50 patients (23 males and 27 females) of ulcerative colitis, who were on follow-up showed that maximum number of patients had the disease before the age of 50 years. At the onset, the activity of the disease was severe in 44%, moderate in 32% and mild in 24% of cases. The commonest clinical course of the disease was chronic intermittent type (48%), followed by single attack with subsequent remission (42%). Chronic continuous type was seen in 10% patients only. There was no correlation of the extent of the bowel involvement with the clinical course. The precipitating factors for the onset or reactivation of the disease appeared to be emotional disturbances in 18% and pregnancy in 8%. The complications, both local and systemic, were not frequent. Serious complications like massive haemorrhage, perforation, toxic megacolon and carcinoma colon were not seen at all.