Ulcerative colitis (UC), a kind of chronic nonspecific intestinal inflammation with unknown etiology, is very difficult to cure. It recurs often and even is accompanied with parenteral lesion. It has been rated as one of contemporary refractory diseases by World Health Organization. The author combines the pathological mechanisms of UC with the poison-evil theory and the collateral disease theory, and puts forward that "toxin impairing intestine collateral" pathogenesis theory. We believe that longer accumulation of damp-heat stasis toxin that damages the intestine collateral is the key cause for recurrence and relapses of UC. We explained its theory foundation in terms of pathogenesis of UC from Chinese medicine and modern medicine. The "toxin impairing intestine collateral" theory might perfect the syndrome typing system for UC, and provide a new way of thinking for treating UC.
Colitis, Ulcerative ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

China ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Crohn Disease ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Sweetening Agents ; adverse effects

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cigarette smoking is the most significant environmental factor identified in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Smoking has a beneficial effect on ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. In contrast, Crohn's disease (CD) is associated with smoking, and a detrimental effect of smoking on the course of CD has been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence in smoking in CD and UC at the time of diagnosis compared with the general population in a single center study. METHODS: Prevalence of smoking at the time of IBD diagnosis were compared between CD and UC patients in Kyung-Hee Medical Center with healthy general population at age-, gender-, and time period-adjusted rates. We investigated the smoking status of IBD patients at the time of diagnosis by telephone interview. There were 178 IBD patients (98 UC patients and 80 CD patients) between January 1995 and December 2004. RESULTS: The male to female ratio in CD and UC were 2:1 and 1:1.4, respectively. The onset of age was 28.2 years and 38.8 years, respectively. The prevalence of smoking was significantly lower in CD and UC patients than in the general population (CD; odds ratio 0.21, 95% confidence interval 0.12-0.41, p<0.001, UC; odds ratio 0.06, 95% confidence interval 0.03-0.14, p<0.001). After statistical adjustment for gender and age at the diagnosis of IBD, the odds ratio of a current smoker diagnosed as UC was 73% lower than that of CD (adjusted odds ratio 0.27, 95% confidence interval 0.12-0.59, p<0.001). In contrast, being a former smoker showed a risk of approximate 1.27-fold higher likelihood of having UC diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio 1.27, confidence interval 0.41-3.95, p=0.68). CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking is protective against developing UC at any age, but is not associated with the development of CD in Korean population. Former smoking is not the high risk factor in developing UC.
Adult ; Colitis, Ulcerative/*prevention & control ; Crohn Disease/*etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; *Smoking/adverse effects

No abstract availble.
Colitis, Ulcerative/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between ulcerative colitis (UC) and lung injuries by assessing their clinical manifestations and characteristics.

METHODSFrom July 2009 to April 2012, 91 UC patients presenting to Longhua Hospital who met the established inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled in this retrospective study. According to the scores of disease activity index, the patients were divided into the mild, moderate, and severe groups. Meanwhile, the records of pulmonary symptoms, chest X-ray image, and pulmonary function were reviewed.

RESULTSSixty-eight (74.7%) patients had at least 1 pulmonary symptom, such as cough (38.5%), shortness of breath (27.5%), and expectoration (17.6%). And 77 (84.6%) had at least 1 ventilation abnormality. Vital capacity value was significantly lower in the severe group than that in the mild group (91.82%±10.38% vs. 98.92%±12.12%, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLung injury is a common extraintestinal complication of UC. According to the theory in Traditional Chinese Medicine that the lung and large intestine are related, both the lungs and large intestine should be treated simultaneously.

Adult ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; complications ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Injury ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Vital Capacity

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although normal endoscopic findings are, as a rule, part of the diagnosis of microscopic colitis, several cases of macroscopic lesions (MLs) have been reported in collagenous colitis, but hardly in lymphocytic colitis (LC). The aim of this study was to investigate the endoscopic, clinical, and histopathologic features of LC with MLs. METHODS: A total of 14 patients with LC who were diagnosed between 2005 and 2010 were enrolled in the study. Endoscopic, clinical, and histopathologic findings were compared retrospectively according to the presence or absence of MLs. RESULTS: MLs were observed in seven of the 14 LC cases. Six of the MLs exhibited hypervascularity, three exhibited exudative bleeding and one exhibited edema. The patients with MLs had more severe diarrhea and were taking aspirin or proton pump inhibitors. More intraepithelial lymphocytes were observed during histologic examination in the patients with MLs compared to the patients without MLs, although this difference was not significant. The numbers of mononuclear cells and neutrophils in the lamina propria were independent of the presence or absence of MLs. CONCLUSIONS: LC does not always present with normal endoscopic findings. Hypervascularity and exudative bleeding are frequent endoscopic findings in patients with MLs.
Adult ; Aged ; Colitis, Collagenous/*pathology ; Colitis, Lymphocytic/complications/*pathology ; Colon/pathology ; *Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea/etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although normal endoscopic findings are, as a rule, part of the diagnosis of microscopic colitis, several cases of macroscopic lesions (MLs) have been reported in collagenous colitis, but hardly in lymphocytic colitis (LC). The aim of this study was to investigate the endoscopic, clinical, and histopathologic features of LC with MLs. METHODS: A total of 14 patients with LC who were diagnosed between 2005 and 2010 were enrolled in the study. Endoscopic, clinical, and histopathologic findings were compared retrospectively according to the presence or absence of MLs. RESULTS: MLs were observed in seven of the 14 LC cases. Six of the MLs exhibited hypervascularity, three exhibited exudative bleeding and one exhibited edema. The patients with MLs had more severe diarrhea and were taking aspirin or proton pump inhibitors. More intraepithelial lymphocytes were observed during histologic examination in the patients with MLs compared to the patients without MLs, although this difference was not significant. The numbers of mononuclear cells and neutrophils in the lamina propria were independent of the presence or absence of MLs. CONCLUSIONS: LC does not always present with normal endoscopic findings. Hypervascularity and exudative bleeding are frequent endoscopic findings in patients with MLs.
Adult ; Aged ; Colitis, Collagenous/*pathology ; Colitis, Lymphocytic/complications/*pathology ; Colon/pathology ; *Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea/etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

Ischemic colitis is a condition that usually occurs in the elderly, as a form of vascular disease. However, ischemic colitis also occurs, though rarely, in healthy young adults. Moreover, food supplements containing Ephedra sinica or ma huang have been linked to adverse central nervous and cardiovascular events. A 40-year-old man was admitted to our emergency department after 2 episodes of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea that lasted 24 hours. His medical history was unremarkable for risk factors of bowel ischemia, except for well-controlled hypertension. However, a weight-loss supplement, Ephedra sinica, had been prescribed for daily use during the previous month. Both abdominal/pelvic computed tomography and colonoscopy revealed findings compatible with ischemic colitis. His conditions spontaneously improved without any serious complications, and he was advised to discontinue the use of herbal medications containing ephedrine. In this paper, we describe a case of ischemic colitis that was potentially linked to the use of ma huang with a review of the relevant literature.
Abdominal Pain/etiology ; Adult ; Colitis, Ischemic/*diagnosis/etiology ; Diarrhea/etiology ; *Dietary Supplements ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Ephedra sinica/*chemistry ; Humans ; Male

No abstract available.
Aged ; Colitis, Ischemic/complications/*diagnosis/therapy ; Cystitis/*diagnosis/etiology ; Dehydration/etiology ; Diarrhea/etiology ; Female ; Fluid Therapy ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis/*diagnosis/etiology ; Oliguria/etiology ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Radiation Injuries/*diagnosis/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract availble.
Colitis/*complications/pathology ; Colon/*radiography ; Female ; Gases ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis/etiology/*radiography ; Portal Vein/*radiography