What is the Cause of Ulcerative Colitis?
The ultimate cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown, but there seem to be several factors that play a role. • Genetics: Up to 25% of patients with ulcerative colitis have family members who also have been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. The disease is not inherited in a direct fashion, for example from parent to child. The pattern of inheritance is somewhat more indirect as the family history is analyzed, often there may be a cousin, aunt, or uncle who have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. The overall risk of a child of a patient with ulcerative colitis developing the disease is approximately two to six percent. • Altered Immune Function: There have been a number of changes in the immune system that have been identified in the inflammatory process. There is extensive ongoing worldwide research in this area and to date, no one specific immune malfunction has yet been found responsible for the disease. This research has, however, led to targeting specific new medication
