Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that affects the colorectum. It often presents in young adulthood and is more common in developed nations. The diagnosis is reached after lower gastrointestinal investigation confirms diffuse, continuous, and superficial inflammation in the large bowel and biopsies show changes in keeping with the disorder. There is no single known unifying cause, and the pathogenesis probably relates to a change in colonic environment in a genetically susceptible person. It is a chronic lifelong condition that, untreated, has a relapsing and remitting course. Medical treatment aims to induce remission and prevent relapse of disease activity once this has been achieved, thereby minimising the impact on quality of life and preventing long term sequelae. We summarise recent guidelines, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to provide the general reader with an update on how this disorder can be effectively identified and managed.