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Clinical features

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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Patients with toxic megacolon are typically recently diagnosed with colitis:

  • 30% had been diagnosed within the previous 3 months
  • 60% had been diagnosed within the previous 3 years

Toxic megacolon occurs in the setting of an acute exacerbation in the colitis.

The physical signs include:

  • altered consciousness
  • tachycardia
  • postural hypotension
  • fever
  • abdominal distension and tenderness
  • there may be signs of local or generalised peritonitis
  • steroids and analgesics may mask symptoms and signs

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