ABSTRACT
Human idiopathic ulcerative colitis has many associated extraintestinal manifestations in the liver, blood, skin, bones and joints, and eyes, along with occasional bronchopulmonary, cardiovascular, and renal complications. The spontaneously occurring idiopathic colitis of the cotton-top tamarin bears close relationship to ulcerative colitis in man, clinically, endoscopically, histologically, and in its response to treatment. Finding such extraintestinal manifestations in the cotton-top tamarin (CTT) would strengthen its position as a model of human ulcerative colitis. The liver complications that may occur in human ulcerative colitis are found in about 5 to 6% of cases and include a variety of histological features, incuding fatty liver, pericholangitis, sclerosing cholangitis, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatic abscesses, and cirrhosis. Iron deficiency anemia has been seen in some cotton-top tamarins with very severe colitis. Pyoderma gangrenosum is classically associated with long-standing total ulcerative colitis in man. Extraintestinal manifestations of human ulcerative colitis are well-recognized features of the disease.
