Pancolitis: Pancolitis is also known as ulcerative colitis which is an idiopathic chronicinflammatory disorder of the colon and rectum and involves the entire thickness of the colon. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Pancolitis is available below.

Symptoms of Pancolitis

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Pancolitis includes the 5 symptoms listed below:

• Frequent episodes of rectal bleeding occur, with or without mucus. The characteristic feature is blood in each bowel movement.
• Urgency and tenesmus
• Abdominal cramps
• Weight loss in severe cases
• Extracolonic manifestations- iritis, erythema nodosum, pyoderma gangrenosum, sacroilitis, episcleritis, aphthous ulcers.

List of causes of Pancolitis:

Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Pancolitis) that could possibly cause Pancolitis includes:

• Autoimmune phenomenon
• Genetic susceptibility
• Smoking
• Environmental factors
• Immune-mediated phenomena

The list of treatments mentioned in various sources for Pancolitis includes the following list. Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.

• TNF- inhibitors- Infliximab
• Corticosteroids
• 5-aminosalicylic acid derivative- sulfasalazine
• Balsalazide
• Total colectomy
• Treatment of ulcerative colitis is complex and management depends on the type, duration and severity of symptoms, the specific area of the colon that is involved, and complications arising from the disease and treatment.

Treatments include:

• Smoking cessation
• Medications – may be administered orally and/or rectally, depending on the site of the disease
• Symptomatic treatment
  • 5-Aminosalicylates – Sulfasalazine, mesalazine, olsalazine, balsalazide
  • Corticosteroids – used to control active inflammation, role in maintaining remission limited
• Disease modifying treatment
  • Azathioprine
  • Mercaptopurine
  • Cyclosporin
• Infliximab – for severe ulcerative colitis unresponsive to conventional therapy
• Antibiotics – limited role in ulcerative colitis but may avert life threatening sepsis associated with severe colitis
• Other agents being trialled
  • Thalidomide
  • Tacrolimus
  • Mycophenolate mofetil
  • Nicotine
  • Clonidine
  • Fish oil
  • Cytokine antibodies other than infliximab
• Dietary treatment
  • Parenteral nutrition – useful in severe disease and in children
  • Probiotics
  • Adequate nutrition including management of deficiencies such as iron, calcium, and fat soluble vitamins. Parenteral B12 supplementation may be needed in patients with disease of the terminal ileum
• Psychological support as effects of this chronic disease can be debilitating physically and mentally
• Surgical care – indicated for persistent disease despite high dose steroid therapy, fistulae unresponsive to medical management, toxic megacolon, strictures, intra-abdominal abscesses, cancer and bleeding
• Management of complications such as osteoporosis, chronic pain syndromes, and nutritional deficiencies