title: Inflammatory bowel disease: specific concerns in the elderly.
abstract: Despite recent improvements in our knowledge concerning IBD in the elderly, much is still unknown. Fundamental issues which remain unresolved are: the true frequency of disease onset in old age; the natural history and location of disease; the response of these patients to medical therapy; the indications for surgery; the incidence of postoperative recurrence; and the incidence of cancer complicating existing disease. Nevertheless, reasonably successful treatment options are available to many elderly IBD patients, given that an alert and careful diagnostician identifies the problem.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dickstein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans