[Ischemic colitis as a cause of intestinal bleeding after marathon running]

Abstract

A 33-year-old long-distance runner had three episodes of bloody diarrhoea, all occurring after competitive marathon runs. Colonoscopy revealed a small lesion in the caecum histologically compatible with ischaemia of the mucosa. The discussion centres on the pathophysiology of impaired intestinal blood supply during excessive effort and the frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms and occult blood loss due to jogging.