Pattern of ulcerative colitis in Nasiriyah : evaluation of 157 cases

Of a total of 3325 patients who underwent lower gastrointestinal endoscopy during 2008-2014, 170 (5.1%) patients had a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. Of those patients 13 (7.6%) were already diagnosed as ulcerative colitis and attending the gastrointestinal unit for follow up while 157 (92.4%) are newly diagnosed. Among the newly diagnosed patients 94 (59.9%) are males and 63 (40.1%) are females, with age onset range from 5-75 years and average age 39.5 years. Hematochasia is the most frequent clinical symptom (39.5%) followed by bloody diarrhea (33.1%) while weight loss is the least frequent (2.5%). Left sided ulcerative colitis is the more common site of involvement 66 (42%) while proctosigmoiditis is the least common 20 (12.7%). Grade I & II are the most common endoscopic grading 93 (59.3%) while grade IV 24 (15.9%) is the least common.