A Case of Ulcerative Colitis with Recurrent Attacks of Melena that Required Changing in Prescription during Medical Treatment / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

We report the case of a 33-year old man with ulcerative colitis and attacks of melena who responded positively to a change in prescription, in accordance with change in his disease state. His melena developed in May of the year XXXX. He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (proctitis) after a thorough evaluation at another medical institution, administration of 5-ASA, steroid suppositories and an antidiarrheal agent had brought no relief, and he consequently sought Kampo treatment at our institution. Saireito (9.0g/day) and kyukikyogaito(9.0g/day) extract granules were initially administered for two weeks in addition to the aforementioned drug therapy, which resulted in improvement of his melena. However, the same Kampo formulations prescribed later, when his attacks recurred, failed to effectively halt rectal bleeding. These recurrent attacks differed from his first, in that blood was seen after the elimination of feces (feces first, blood later), and as “feces-first, blood-later” conditions are described in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber as “enketsu” indications for odoto decoction, his prescription was changed to odoto. After odoto administration for 2 months, his melena gradually resolved, and active rectal inflammatory change was improved as seen with colonoscopy. His melena then lessened after 1 month's administration, and symptoms of melena had almost completely disappeared after 2 month's administration. Amelioration of active rectal inflammatory change was also confirmed with colonoscopy findings. This was an interesting case where the progression of a clinical condition required a corresponding change in prescription for effective management of symptoms.