A patient with chronic ulcerative colitis is seen in the clinic for a follow-up. The nurse reads the physician's note which states that the patient's disease is severe. The nurse would expect which of the following complications associated with chronic ulcerative colitis?

Explanation

• Severe chronic ulcerative colitis correlates with bowel ulceration and dilation, leading to malabsorption of nutrients and diarrhea

• Severe disease correlates with more than 6 bowel movements per day, bloody stool, fever, and anemia

• More than 10 bowel movements per day, toxic megacolon, and perforation is more commonly associated with fulminant ulcerative colitis

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