One of the hallmark symptoms of ulcerative colitis (UC) is urgency, the uncomfortable sensation of having to defecate immediately. Urgency might significantly impair a person's ability to travel, attend events, and leave the house without the knowledge of where the closest bathroom is. In this study, researchers evaluated the relationship between urgency and quality of life and other outcomes, like hospitalizations and surgery.

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Urgency, which is the immediate need to defecate, is common in IBD. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between urgency in ulcerative colitis patients and outcomes like quality of life and hospitalizations.

We studied 632 patients with UC. Urgency, described as "hurry," "immediately," and "incontinence," was associated with many factors like social isolation, depression, anxiety, and fatigue. It was also associated with increased risk of hospitalization, steroids, and surgery.

These findings support using urgency as an important quality of life outcome to be studied in clinical trials.

Between 20-35% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have had a colectomy (surgery to remove part or all of the large intestine). The most common type of colectomy is called a "restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA)". This is a surgery to remove the large intestine and rectum and to create a small pouch out of the small intestine that is connected to the anus. This pouch is used to store stool and is often called a "J-pouch" (It is shaped like the letter "J"). Pouchitis (inflammation of the pouch) is the most common complication of this type of surgery and consists of symptoms of diarrhea and urgency. In this study, we wanted to know how many CCFA Partners participants have experienced pouchitis and what medications and characteristics are common among this group. To answer these questions we looked at survey responses submitted by more than 15,000 CCFA Partners participants. We found that 248 patients reported having an IPAA at some point in time. Of these patients, 82% also reported at least one episode of pouchitis. Patients with a history of pouchitis were more likely to use antibiotics. Patients who reported a recent episode of pouchitis (within the past six months) were more likely to report worse quality of life, depression, fatigue, and dissatisfaction with their social role. The majority of patients who have had a colectomy develop pouchitis at some point. During episodes of pouchitis, patients experience worse quality of life.