Ulcerative Colitis: The Asia Pacific Clinical Trial Landscape

Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is one of the most common types of Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with idiopathic, chronic, relapsing, and remitting inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. UC is characterized by diffuse mucosal inflammation limited to the colon. Longstanding UC is also associated with a defined risk of dysplasia and colorectal cancer, which is believed to be related to long-standing unchecked inflammation. Since 8% to 14% of UC patients have a family history of the condition, it appears that this disease has a genetic component, with a four-fold increased risk of a first-degree relative of a UC patient developing the disease. Depending on rectal bleeding, the severity of UC is rated from mild to severe. Diarrhea, often with blood or pus, abdominal pain, cramping, rectal pain, rectal bleeding-passing a small amount of blood with stool are some of the signs and symptoms of UC. Although UC is a chronic condition, overall mortality is comparable to that of the general population. (1)