[Clinical and epidemiological profile of ulcerative colitis in a hospital in Lima]

The Non-specific Ulcerative Colitis (NUC) is an inflammatory disease of the rectum and the colon that can extend from the distal part of the rectum to the colon. Only in rare occasions is the terminal ileum compromised.

To know the clinic and epidemiological profile of the NUC, in the Edgardo Rebagliati Martins Hospital-EsSALUD (Lima-Peru).

Prospective and descriptive study of 43 patients diagnosed with NUC, from June, 2001 to May, 2003.

The patients were 27 women (62.8%) and 16 men (37.2%); 31 from previous analysis (72.1%) and 12 new patients (27.9%); the largest compromised age group was between 30 to 39 years old (23.3%). The main symptoms were diarrhea (86%), rectal bleeding (58.1%), and abdominal pain (37.2%). Follow-up showed: remission (65.1%), recurrence (28%), persistency (2.3%) and fulminant course (2.3%). One patient died (2.3%). The colon compromise was: rectosigmoid (32.6%), left (30.3%), pancolitis (20.9%), to transverse (9.3%) and distal (6.9%).

The incidence was of 2.1 cases per year, the average age was 45 years old (at the time of diagnosis), with a prevalence of women (62.8%). The main symptoms were diarrhea, rectal bleeding and abdominal pain. The main factor of recurrence was the interruption of the medication and anaemia was a frequent problem observed in the follow-up.