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Home / Equine Research Bank / Am Fam Physician / Ulcerative colitis: diagnosis and treatment.
American family physician2007; 76(9); 1323-1330;

Ulcerative colitis: diagnosis and treatment.

Abstract: Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease with recurrent symptoms and significant morbidity. The precise etiology is still unknown. As many as 25 percent of patients with ulcerative colitis have extraintestinal manifestations. The diagnosis is made endoscopically. Tests such as perinuclear antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies are promising, but not yet recommended for routine use. Treatment is based on the extent and severity of the disease. Rectal therapy with 5-aminosalicylic acid compounds is used for proctitis. More extensive disease requires treatment with oral 5-aminosalicylic acid compounds and oral corticosteroids. The side effects of steroids limit their usefulness for chronic therapy. Patients who do not respond to treatment with oral corticosteroids require hospitalization and intravenous steroids. Refractory symptoms may be treated with azathioprine or infliximab. Surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis is reserved for patients who fail medical therapy or who develop severe hemorrhage, perforation, or cancer. Longstanding ulcerative colitis is associated with an increased risk of colon cancer. Patients should receive an initial screening colonoscopy eight years after the onset of pancolitis and 12 to 15 years after the onset of left-sided disease; follow-up colonoscopy should be repeated every two to three years.
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Publication Date: 2007-11-21 PubMed ID: 18019875
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article dives into the wide range of causes behind equine colitis, a condition characterized by diarrhoea and/or pain in horses, and presents distinctive diagnostic methods as well as treatments for each cause.

Research on Equine Colitis Causes

  • The research article discusses causes of equine colitis, a condition characterized by diarrhea and/or pain in horses. The causes can be diverse and include various bacterial, viral, and protozoal agents as well as toxins.
  • Among the specified causes, the causal agent of Potomac horse fever, Ehrlichia risticii, has been recently recognized as a potential cause of colitis, worsening the condition’s complexity.
  • Salmonella is typically the agent associated with equine colitis, and it also causes a varying degree of abdominal pain (colic) in affected horses, complicating the condition’s diagnosis and treatment.
  • Other potential causes include colitis X, the use of various antibiotics, endotoxic shock, and peritonitis caused by arterial infarction. All these variants further complicate the differential diagnosis of colitis in horses.

Discussion on Therapies and Diagnosis

  • The study outlines the principles of therapy for each of the causes mentioned, taking a comprehensive approach that takes into account the multifactorial nature of equine colitis.
  • The researchers clarify how each cause might require a different approach to treatment, emphasizing the importance of correctly diagnosing the root of the condition before embarking on a treatment plan.
  • They also provide details about the methods of differential diagnosis for these causes, offering valuable insights to help clinicians and veterinary doctors more accurately diagnose and treat equine colitis.

Significance of the Research

  • This research offers new insights into equine colitis by outlining its many causes and suggesting methods of differential diagnosis and treatment for each. It sheds light on what makes this condition complicated and underscores the need for multifaceted approaches in diagnosis and treatment.
  • This study can be of great help to veterinary doctors and those involved in horse care, allowing them to better diagnose the condition and choose the most effective treatment based on the root cause.

Cite This Article

APA
Langan RC, Gotsch PB, Krafczyk MA, Skillinge DD. (2007). Ulcerative colitis: diagnosis and treatment. Am Fam Physician, 76(9), 1323-1330.

Publication

American family physician
ISSN: 0002-838X
NlmUniqueID: 1272646
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 76
Issue: 9
Pages: 1323-1330

Researcher Affiliations

Langan, Robert C
  • St. Luke's Family Medicine Residency, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18017, USA. langanr@slhn.org
Gotsch, Patricia B
    Krafczyk, Michael A
      Skillinge, David D

        MeSH Terms

        • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
        • Aminosalicylic Acids / therapeutic use
        • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
        • Azathioprine / therapeutic use
        • Colectomy
        • Colitis, Ulcerative / classification
        • Colitis, Ulcerative / diagnosis
        • Colitis, Ulcerative / epidemiology
        • Colitis, Ulcerative / therapy
        • Colonoscopy
        • Diagnosis, Differential
        • Gastrointestinal Agents / therapeutic use
        • Humans
        • Infliximab
        • Mercaptopurine / therapeutic use
        • Severity of Illness Index

        References

        This article includes 35 references

        Citations

        This article has been cited 36 times.
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