title: [Toxic megacolon complicated by ulcerative colitis in six patients: a case report and literature review].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize the clinical features of ulcerative colitis (UC) complicated by toxic megacolon for early diagnosis and proper treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six cases of toxic megacolon in the patients suffered from UC in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1983 to 2010 were analyzed, and related literature was searched and reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of the toxic megacolon in the patients with UC in our center was 0.7%(6/824), which was lower than those reported in the literature. There were always risk factors triggering the disease. The prognosis of the patients was poor, even after medical care and surgery intervention. Evaluation of the patients and making right timing to perform the surgery would improve the prognosis of the patients in foreign literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It's crucial to make early diagnosis of the toxic megacolon in the patients suffered from UC. The right choice and timing to perform urgent surgery or selective surgery may improve their prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wei-yang
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jia-ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Hua-xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jing-nan
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008532:Megacolon, Toxic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis