All issues > Volume 42(2); 1999

Case Report

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1999;42(2):289-295. Published online February 15, 1999.

A Case of Ulcerative Colitis with Growth Disturbance

Ki Hyun KH Jeon¹, Dong Hyun DH Choi¹, Eun Yung EY Seol¹, Kyung Eun KE Oh¹, Mun Ki MK Cho¹, Chul C Son¹, Jong Soon JS Kim²

¹Department of Pediatrics, Saint Columban’s Hospital, Mokpo, Korea
²Department of Anatomical Pathology, Saint Columban’s Hospital, Mokpo, Korea

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disease of the colonic and rectal mucosa, which affects children as well as adults. Inflammation caused by ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon and rectum, to the mucosa and submucosa, and is involved continuously, with varying degrees of ulceration, hemorrhage, edema, and regenerating epithelium. Ulcerative colitis most commonly presents with the onset of diarrhea, later associated with hematochezia, but usually without systemic signs of fever, weight loss, or hypoalbuminemia. Approximately 30% of cases have moderate signs of systemic illness. Although less commonly seen than in Crohn’s disease, the first sign of ulcerative colitis may be growth failure characterized by decreased linear growth velocity. We experienced a case of ulcerative colitis with growth disturbance and treated with sulfasalazine. During follow up for a year, the symptoms subsided, and the height and weight increased.

Keywords :Ulcerative colitis, Growth disturbance