Inflammatory Bowel Disease

A 28-year-old man presents with a 6-week history of bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and urgency. Colonoscopy reveals continuous mucosal inflammation limited to the colon with crypt distortion and surface ulceration. Histology confirms acute and chronic inflammation. He is diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and is now being initiated on induction therapy. What is the drug of choice for inducing remission in this patient?

A 28-year-old woman presents with a 6-month history of bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and weight loss. Clinical examination reveals mild abdominal tenderness. Inflammatory markers (CRP and ESR) are elevated. Which investigation is most specific for confirming the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis?

A 32-year-old woman with a 5-year history of inflammatory bowel disease presents with perianal fistulas and skip lesions on colonoscopy. Which clinical feature most reliably distinguishes her condition from ulcerative colitis?

A 35-year-old woman with known Crohn's disease on mesalamine presents with acute onset of severe abdominal pain, fever (38.5°C), and signs of peritonitis. Plain abdominal X-ray shows free air under the diaphragm. Which investigation should be performed immediately after clinical stabilization to determine the site and extent of perforation?

A 35-year-old woman with a 3-year history of Crohn's disease (involving terminal ileum and colon) presents with recurrent flares despite adequate mesalamine therapy. She has had two hospitalizations in the past year and is now experiencing abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. Colonoscopy shows patchy, transmural inflammation with skip lesions. She has no active infections. What is the drug of choice for inducing remission in this patient?