Unspecific clinical presentation of bowel ischemia in the very old. Digitalis treatment--a reason for higher mortality?
OBJECTIVE
Ischemic bowel disease predominantly affects the elderly (>65 years). Early diagnosis and treatment are of vital importance for the outcome. The vague symptoms of ischemic bowel disease entail a risk of delayed diagnosis, with a subsequent risk of increased mortality. The aims of this retrospective study were to identify symptoms and prodromes, to study factors associated with mortality in ischemic bowel disease, and to describe the influence of age, by comparing patients <80 and > or = 80 years.


METHODS
The subjects of the study were 135 patients, mean age 77 years, admitted to Malmö University Hospital, Sweden, between 1987 and 1996, with a ICD-9 diagnosis of acute or chronic splanchnic ischemia.


RESULTS
Patients aged 80 years or more presented with a significantly higher prevalence of confusion (29% vs 12%), hematemesis (57% vs 14%), vomiting (82% vs 65%) and dehydration (58% vs 36%) at admission compared with patients aged under 80 years, and presented a higher mortality (87% compared with 65%, p=0.003). The prevalence of digitalis treatment was 34%, which was high compared with other Swedish cohort studies. Digitalis, adjusted for age, congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio 4.6, 95% CI 1.3-16.1). Prodromal signs predicted poor outcome, and were found in one out of 4 patients, without any age differences.


CONCLUSIONS
Bowel ischemia in the very old is associated with a different clinical presentation and a higher mortality compared with younger patients. Digitalis treatment seems to be associated with increased mortality in ischemic bowel disease. Prodromal signs are prognostically unfavorable.
Department of Community Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Malmö University Hospital, University of Lund, Malmö, Sweden. maria.wadman@smi.mas.lu.se
Maria
M
Wadman
Ingvar
I
Syk
Sölve
S
Elmståhl
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004071:Digitalis Glycosides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009846:Oliguria / Q000401:mortality; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D017678:Sex Distribution
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004071:Digitalis Glycosides