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?

Anemia
Bowel ulceration and dilation
Malabsorption

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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