Study Reveals Predictors of Ulcerative Colitis Severity

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the large intestine. The inflammation usually occurs in the rectum and the lower part of the colon, but it may affect the entire colon. Due to the inflammation and ulcers in the inner lining of the colon, it causes the colon to empty more often and leads to symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is frequently referred to as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and affects individuals worldwide. The course of ulcerative colitis is unpredictable, with remission possible in some patients and frequent recurrence in others. There have been previous studies conducted that follow patient populations with the condition in order to determine its natural history, but few studies have taken a look at possible predictors of the disease’s severity.

A recent research article published on January 14, 2010 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses the possible predictors of ulcerative colitis and its severity in individual patients. A Canadian research team examined the records of their ulcerative colitis patients and studied those with at least five years of follow up. Their data was collected and analyzed for demographic parameters such as age, gender, year of diagnosis, and others, which might help identify the possible risk for a more severe bout with the disease.

The variables of the study used to determine the severity of disease included a younger age at diagnosis, as well as a more recent year of diagnosis. The study suggested that those with ulcerative colitis diagnosis at a younger age had their symptoms revealed more quickly due to a more severe condition. The year of the diagnosis may reflect this, or it could be possible that it demonstrates that we may not be treating ulcerative colitis as well as we previously thought. The study concluded that ulcerative colitis severity is associated with younger age at diagnosis and year of diagnosis in a “longitudinal cohort of UC patients, and may identify prognostic UC indicators.”

Overall, the study’s data could help physicians identify those patients who are at higher risk of a severe disease course, and tailor their care towards more aggressive ulcerative colitis treatment immediately, rather than slowly escalating through the degrees of available therapies. It may also provide newly diagnosed patients with some expectations from their specific condition course, as well as the ulcerative colitis treatments that will best fit their current conditions.

Ulcerative colitis is an unpredictable disease, and there is still much we don’t know about it. As further studies will hopefully reveal findings for more accurate treatments, patients continue to seek out alternative supplements to complement any medical regime their doctors provide. There is a healing supplement that benefits every cell, tissue, and organ in the body, and it specifically provides safe and natural relief for those who suffer from ulcerative colitis.

The healing ingredient in AloeElite, the Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharide, helps eliminate diarrhea, brings the body back to a more normal functionality, acts as an intercellular antioxidant, rebuilds and repair the protective mucosa lining throughout the digestive tract, and mends the damaged tissue in the colon. Most people who use AloeElite have moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and have a 97 to 98 percent success rate.