Ulcerative Colitis: A Clearer Picture

Excerpt

Physicians who treat large numbers of patients with chronic ulcerative colitis in primary and secondary care settings know intuitively that this disorder does not usually have as grave a prognosis as published statistics indicate. This is not to say that many patients do not have periodic discomfort, that they do not require medication or slight alterations in their lifestyle, or indeed that a few patients may have severe colitis or require colectomies. However, most patients do, for the most part, respond well to therapy, avoid serious complications, require few if any hospitalizations, and lead long and productive lives.

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