Easy Med Notes

Ulcerative colitis It is an inflammatory condition of rectum and colon. Related to stress, westernized diet, autoimmune factor, familial tendency, allergic factor. Disease commonly starts in the rectum, spreads proximally to the colon and often into the ileum as back wash ileitis . Aetiology   Westernized diet , red meat and very less common in vegetarians.  Defective mucin production in the colonic mucosa and mucosal immunological reaction.   Autoimmune factors - Cytotoxic T lymphocytes against colonic epithelial cells and presence of anticolon antibodies. Association with HLA DR2 is observed in ulcerative colitis.    Familial in nature .  Allergy to milk and other dietary factors.  Excess reactive oxidative metabolism in ulcerative colitis.   Psychological aspects, stress, life style, personality disorders Appendicectomy and smoking protects ulcerative colitis especially from extraintestinal features and from postopera...