Ulcerative Colitis : Symptoms, Treatment and Complications

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, primarily confined to the colon and rectum. The clinical manifestations are characterised by diarrhoea, rectal bleeding, passage of mucus and pus and abdominal cramping. This book presents current research in the study of the symptoms, treatment and complications of ulcerative colitis. Topics include treatment of steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis; the pathogenesis and neutrophil-derived defensin in ulcerative colitis; and the role of gastrointestinal granulocytes in inflammatory bowel disease.