Colitis

Colitis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Classification & external resources
ICD-10
K50. - K52
ICD-9
558
OMIM
191390
DiseasesDB
31340
MedlinePlus
001125
eMedicine
ped/435
MeSH
C06.405.205.265

Colitis [pronounce[1]] is a digestive disease characterized by inflammation of the colon.[1]

Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of colitis include pain, tenderness in the abdomen, fever, swelling of the colon tissue, bleeding, erythema (redness) of the surface of the colon, rectal bleeding, blood in stool, rapid weight loss, aches and pains within the joints, and ulcerations of the colon. Common tests which reveal these signs include X-rays of the colon, testing the stool for blood and pus, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy. Additional tests include stool cultures and blood tests, including blood chemistry tests. A high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is one typical finding in acute exacerbations of colitis. Diagnostic Tests

Types
Types of colitis include ulcerative colitis, Crohn's colitis, diversion colitis, ischemic colitis, infectious colitis, fulminant colitis, chemical colitis, microscopic colitis, lymphocytic colitis, and atypical colitis.

A well-known subtype of infectious colitis is pseudomembranous colitis, which results from infection by a toxigenic strain of Clostridium difficile (c-diff).[2] Parasitic infections can also cause colitis.

Any colitis with a rapid downhill clinical course is known as fulminant colitis. In addition to the diarrhea, fever, and anemia seen in colitis, the patient has severe abdominal pain and presents a clinical picture similar to that of septicemia, where shock is present. Approximately half of these patients require surgery.

Irritable bowel syndrome, a separate disease, has been called spastic colitis or spastic colon. This name causes confusion, since colitis is not a feature of irritable bowel syndrome.


Treatment
Treatment of colitis may include the administration of antibiotics and general anti-inflammatory medications such as Mesalamine or its derivatives, steroids, or one of a number of other drugs that ameliorate inflammation. Surgery is sometimes needed, especially in cases of fulminant colitis. Surgery usually entails removing the colon and bowel and creating a "pouch" with portions of the small intestine.
Changes in diet can be effective at treating the symptoms of colitis and easing the side effects. These can include reducing the intake of carbohydrates, lactose products, soft drinks and caffeine. This approach has been championed by Elaine Gottschall.

Notes
The following footnotes can include source references:
^ a b The term "colitis" is pronounced as "co-Light-us" in reference to the word colon.
^ "Clostridium Difficile Colitis - Overview", WebMD from Healthwise, September 2006, webpage: WebMD-clostridium-difficile-colitis.

External links
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of Canada
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
The National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (UK)
Colitis at GPnotebook

v • d • eDigestive system - Gastroenterology (primarily K20-K93, 530-579)
Esophagus
Esophagitis - GERD - Achalasia - Boerhaave syndrome - Nutcracker esophagus - Zenker's diverticulum - Mallory-Weiss syndrome - Barrett's esophagus
Stomach/duodenum
Peptic (gastric/duodenal) ulcer - Gastritis - Gastroenteritis - Duodenitis - Dyspepsia - Pyloric stenosis - Achlorhydria - Gastroparesis - Gastroptosis - Portal hypertensive gastropathy
Hernia
Inguinal (Indirect, Direct) - Femoral - Umbilical - Incisional - Diaphragmatic - Hiatus
Noninfectiveenteritis & colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn's disease, Ulcerative colitis) - noninfective gastroenteritis

Other intestinal
vascular (Abdominal angina, Mesenteric ischemia, Ischemic colitis, Angiodysplasia) - Ileus/Bowel obstruction (Intussusception, Volvulus) - Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis - Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)other functional intestinal disorders (Constipation, Diarrhea, Megacolon/Toxic megacolon, Proctalgia fugax) - Anal fissure/Anal fistula - Anal abscess - Rectal prolapse - Proctitis (Radiation proctitis)
Liver/hepatitis
Alcoholic liver disease - Liver failure (Acute liver failure) - Cirrhosis - PBC - NASH - Fatty liver - Peliosis hepatis - Portal hypertension - Hepatorenal syndrome

Accessory digestive
Gallbladder (Gallstones, Choledocholithiasis, Cholecystitis, Cholesterolosis, Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses)
Biliary tree (Cholangitis, Cholestasis/Mirizzi's syndrome, PSC, Biliary fistula, Ascending cholangitis)Pancreas (Acute pancreatitis, Chronic pancreatitis, Pancreatic pseudocyst, Hereditary pancreatitis)

Other/general
Appendicitis - Peritonitis (Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis)
Malabsorption (celiac, Tropical sprue, Blind loop syndrome, Whipple's)
postprocedural: Gastric dumping syndrome - Postcholecystectomy syndromebleeding: Hematemesis - Melena - Gastrointestinal bleeding (Upper, Lower)
See also congenital

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colitis"
Categories: Inflammations Digestive diseases Conditions diagnosed by stool test Gastroenterology

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