title: Assessment of frequency and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients over 80 years of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biliary and pancreatic diseases, especially choledocholithiasis and neoplastic diseases, are commonly seen in elderly patients. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure performed more and more frequently also in elderly patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility and safety of ERCP in patients > 80 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed 821 ERCP performed in the Department of Gastrointestinal Diseases, Medical University of Łódź in the years 2005-2007. We compared age, sex, clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, ERCP efficacy and safety in patients > 80 years of age versus younger subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ERCP was performed in 96 patients > 80 years of age (11.7%). ERCP-related complications occured in 48 (5.8%) patients, including 44 (6.1%) younger and 4 (4.2%) older subjects (p > 0.05). Acute pancreatitis was observed in 34 patients (32 [4.4%] younger and 2 [2.1%] older patients; p > 0.05). In 12 patients gastrointestinal hemorrhage and in 2 patients perforation were diagnosed. There was no statistical difference between the number of complications in the 2 compared patient groups. A mean length of hospital stay was similar in both groups, 4.8 days in the younger, and 5.7 days in older patients (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ERCP is a safe and effective method for diagnosis and treatment of both elderly and younger patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Tract Diseases, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland. r-wojnarowska@wp.pl
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Talar-Wojnarowska
authors.forename: Grazyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szulc
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Woźniak
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pazurek
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Małecka-Panas
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D042883:Choledocholithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D046628:Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult