Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disorder that affects the digestive system. This condition is characterized by abnormal inflammation of the inner surface (epithelium) of the rectum and colon. The rectum and colon make up most of the length of the large intestine. The inflammation usually causes open sores (ulcers) to develop in the large intestine. Ulcerative colitis usually appears between the age of 15 and 30, although it can develop at any age. The inflammation tends to flare up multiple times throughout a person's life, which causes recurring signs and symptoms.\n\nThe most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis are cramping abdominal pain and frequent diarrhea, often with blood, pus, or mucus in the stool. Other signs and symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, bowel urgency, fatigue, and fevers. Chronic bleeding from the inflamed and ulcerated intestinal tissue can cause a shortage of red blood cells (anemia) in some affected individuals. People with this disorder have difficulty absorbing enough fluids and nutrients from their diet and often experience weight loss. Affected children usually grow more slowly than normal. Less commonly, ulcerative colitis causes problems with the skin, joints, eyes, kidneys, or liver, which are most likely due to abnormal inflammation.\n\nToxic megacolon is a rare complication of ulcerative colitis that can be life-threatening. Toxic megacolon involves a widening (dilation) of the colon and an overwhelming inflammatory response. Ulcerative colitis also increases the risk of developing colon cancer, especially in people whose entire colon is inflamed and in those who have had ulcerative colitis for 8 years or more.\n\nUlcerative colitis is one common form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Another type of IBD, Crohn's disease, also causes chronic inflammation of the intestines. Unlike ulcerative colitis, which affects only the inner surface of the large intestine, Crohn's disease can cause inflammation in any part of the digestive system, and the inflammation extends deeper into the intestinal tissue.

An erosion of the mucous membrane in a portion of the ileum.

Chorea (Greek for 'dance') refers to widespread arrhythmic involuntary movements of a forcible, jerky and restless fashion. It is a random-appearing sequence of one or more discrete involuntary movements or movement fragments. Movements appear random because of variability in timing, duration or location. Each movement may have a distinct start and end. However, movements may be strung together and thus may appear to flow randomly from one muscle group to another. Chorea can involve the trunk, neck, face, tongue, and extremities.

A type of anemia caused by premature destruction of red blood cells (hemolysis).

A reduction in the number of circulating thrombocytes.

Pain and inflammation in more than five joints.

A reduced number of lymphocytes in the blood.

Inflammation of the uveal tract in which the primary site of inflammation is the anterior chamber.

The presence of autoantibodies in the serum that react against nuclei or nuclear components.

Presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA) autoantibodies. LA represent a heterogeneous group of autoantibodies, IgG, IgM, or a mixture of both classes, that interfere with standard phospholipid-based coagulant tests (this is only an in vitro phenomenon, LA do not cause reduction of coagulation in vivo). The antibodies are directed against plasma proteins which also bind to phospholipid surfaces.

A red eruption of the skin.

Periodic (episodic or recurrent) bouts of fever.

Erosion of the mucous mebrane of the mouth with local excavation of the surface, resulting from the sloughing of inflammatory necrotic tissue.