Assessment of frequency and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients over 80 years of age.
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.
Talar-Wojnarowska
Renata
R
Department of Digestive Tract Diseases, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland. r-wojnarowska@wp.pl
Szulc
Grazyna
G
Woźniak
Beata
B
Pazurek
Marek
M
Małecka-Panas
Ewa
E
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