Enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal. Colitis ulcerosa

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a set of immune-mediated diseases with a poorly understood pathogenesis that result in uncontrolled inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract wall. Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease are the two most important diseases within IBD. UC affects the colon, almost constantly, the rectum, and extends back to varying lengths of the colon. Patients with UC usually present with rectal rectorrhagia, diarrhea, tenesmus, and fecal urgency. The cornerstone of a diagnosis is performing an ileocolonoscopy with biopsy collection, which allows establishing a diagnosis as well as the extent and severity of the endoscopic lesions, aspects that are related to prognosis. Once treatment is established, monitoring can be performed using biomarkers in the blood (C-reactive protein) and stool (fecal calprotectin). However, on occasion, a colonoscopy with biopsy collection is performed again to assess whether there has been a change in the extent and severity of the lesions and whether there is endoscopic and histological healing, as well as to screen for colorectal cancer.