Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of colon, which is common in western countries but rare in Korea, As the colonoscopic examination becomes popular, early detection rate is increasing in oriental countries, but its precise clinical aspects are still obscure in Korea due to rarity. To observe clinical aspects of ulcerative colitis in Korea, we studied 39 cases, which were diagnosed by clinical findings, laboratory examinations barium enema and follaw up colonoscopic examination. We performed colonoscopic examination on every patient at least 3 times during over 6 months from 1981 to 1991. The results were as follows: 1) 30cases (76.9%) were distributed in 2nd.-4th. decade and male to feamle sex ratio was l: 1.2. 2) Among clinical manifestations, colonic symytoms were diarrhea 94.8%, bloody stool 84.6% and abdominal pain 71.8%. Systemic symptoms were weight loss 25.6%, symptoms of anemia 10.3% and fever 2.6%. Severity of clinical manifestations was correlated with colonascopic grade. Extra-colonic manifestations were severe neurosis 10.3%, keratitis 2.6%, and renal stone 2.6%. 3) We found no relationship between duration and extent of disease. 4) In clinical laboratory, anemla, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and hypoalbuminemia were correlated with colonoscopic grade. 5) In detection of ulcerative proctosigmoiditis, barium enema showed a limited capacity, but colonoscopic examination was valuable.
6) All of 39 cases were responded to medical therapy with oral sulfasalazine and/or oral prednisolone in 3 months but relapsed in 94.8% within 2 years without extention of lesion or malignant change.