Is solitary rectal ulcer a manifestation of a systemic disease?

In a prospective study of 22 patients with solitary rectal ulcer, we tried to define the features of this condition, especially the associated systemic features, that may give some clues to its etiopathogenesis. In 15 of these patients a single rectal ulcer was found, whereas in seven patients two ulcers were present in each. Of the total 29 ulcers in these patients, 19 were located on the anterior or anterolateral wall of the rectum and 10 were on the posterior or posterolateral wall. The sigmoidoscopic appearance of the ulcer was quite characteristic, yet a biopsy was considered essential to rule out other pathologic processes. Histological features of the solitary rectal ulcer comprised fibrous obliteration of the lamina propria with disorientation of the muscularis mucosa and extension of muscle fibers into the lamina propria. Evident rectal prolapse was present in only three patients. Recurrent oral ulcerations occurred in four (18.2%) patients and erythema nodosum in one of them (4.5%). Sacroiliitis was present in six of 19 (31%) patients studied radiologically, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 occurred in four of the 20 patients (20%) tested for HLA class I antigens. All the four HLA-B27-positive patients had associated sacroiliitis and showed good response to sulfasalazine. These associations raise the possibility that solitary rectal ulcers may be a part of a systemic disease or of several diseases with varied etiology.