Arthropathy, ankylosing spondylitis, and clubbing of fingers in ulcerative colitis.

In a retrospective study of 399 patients with ulcerative colitis, 27 patients had colitic arthritis, 17 had ankylosing spondylitis, and 20 had clubbing of the fingers. Colitic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis were not related to severity, extent of involvement, or duration of colitis. A significant association between colitic arthropathy and other complications of ulcerative colitis, such as pseudopolyposis, perianal disease, eye lesions, skin eruptions, aphthous ulceration, and liver disease has been demonstrated. The outcome of the first referred attack of colitis in the presence of colitic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis remained uninfluenced. Clubbing of fingers was related to severity, extent of involvement, and length of the history of colitis. A significant association between clubbing of the fingers and carcinoma of the colon, pseudopolyposis, toxic dilatation, and arthropathy has been shown. The frequency of surgical intervention in patients with clubbing was higher but the overall mortality was not significantly different from the patients without clubbing.