Successful Treatment of Idiopathic Colitis and Proctitis Using Thalidomide in Persons Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Gastrointestinal ulcerations in persons infected with HIV have many causes, the most common being opportunistic infections and neoplasms. Recently, idiopathic ulcerative lesions of the colon and rectum have been described. Two cases are reported of idiopathic colonic and anorectal inflammation and ulceration which failed traditional therapies but responded to thalidomide with complete clinical and histologie resolution.