title: Long-term prognosis of ulcerative colitis with onset in childhood or adolescence.
abstract: From 1955 through 1974, 336 patients with ulcerative colitis diagnosed before age 21 years were studied. In 93 patients (29%), a blood relative had ulcerative colitis, one case of Crohn's disease being found. The total colon was involved in 63% of patients; the entire colon or all but the rectal stump was removed in 35%. Eighteen patients died, nine of carcinoma of the colon. Sixty-five percent of patients had symptoms for longer than 6 months before the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. If the diagnosis was delayed more than 24 months, there was a statistically significant correlation with increased rate of operations and complications and less good quality of life. When the 20-year study period was divided into two 10-year periods, the operative and complication rates were significantly different. Early diagnosis and treatment appear to improve the long-term prognosis of young patients with ulcerative colitis.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies