Inflammatory Bowel Disease Health Article

Expected results

Remission refers to a disease becoming inactive for a period of time. The rate of remission of IBD (after a first attack) is nearly 90%. Those individuals whose colitis is confined primarily to the left side of the large intestine have the best prognosis. Those individuals with extensive colitis, involving most or all of the large intestine, have a much poorer prognosis. Recent studies show that about 10% of these patients have died within 10 years after diagnosis. About 20–25% of all IBD patients will require colectomy. Unlike the case for patients with Crohn's disease, however, such radical surgery results in a cure of the disease.

BOOKS

Glickman, Robert. "Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease." In Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, edited by Anthony S. Fauci, et al. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998.

Long, James W. The Essential Guide to Chronic Illness. New York: HarperPerennial, 1997.

Saibil, Fred. Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, 1997.

PERIODICALS

"Alternative Therapies Commonly Used by Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease." Nutrition Research Newsletter 18 (June 1999):13+.

Campieri, Massimo and Paolo Gionchetti. "Probiotics in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: New Insight to Pathogenesis or a Possible Therapeutic Alternative?" Gastroenterology 116 (1999):1246-1249.

Coghlan, Andy. "Wonderful Worms." New Scientist 163 (August 7, 1999):4.

Hilsden, Robert J. and Marja J. Verhoef. "Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Evaluating its Effectiveness in Inflammatory Bowel Disease." Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 4 (1998):318-323.

Martin, Frances L. "Ulcerative Colitis." American Journal of Nursing 97 (August 1997): 38+.

Peppercorn, Mark A., and Susannah K. Gordon. "Making Sense of a Mystery Ailment: Inflammatory Bowel Disease." Harvard Health Letter 22 (December 1996): 4+.

"Ulcerative Colitis: Manageable, With a Brighter Outlook." Mayo Clinic Health Letter 13 (December 1995): 1+.