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Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Development of an Antigen-driven Colitis Model to Study Presentation of Antigens by Antigen Presenting Cells to T Cells
Published on: September 18, 2016
Development of ulcerative colitis during the course of rheumatoid arthritis: Association with selective IgA
Yuki Asada1, Hajime Isomoto, Saburo Shikuwa
1Department of Internal Medicine, National Nagasaki Medical Center, 1001-1 Kubara, Omura, Japan.
Abstract:
A 56-year-old woman with a 29-year history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was admitted to the hospital, complaining of high fever, abdominal pain and severe bloody diarrhea. Colonoscopy revealed friable and edematous mucosa with spontaneous bleeding, diffuse erosions and ulcers extending from the rectum to the distal transverse colon. Histopathological findings of rectal biopsies were compatible with ulcerative colitis (UC). Being diagnosed as having severe active left-side UC, she was successfully treated with intravenous methylprednisolone followed by prednisolone and leukocytapheresis. Laboratory tests revealed low serum and saliva IgA levels, which might play a role in the development of UC. To our knowledge, this is the first case of UC occurring during the course of RA, accompanied by selective IgA deficiency.
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