title: [Safety and efficacy of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatograpy in very elderly patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatograpy (ERCP) is often used for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreaticobiliary diseases in the elderly patients. However, few studies have assessed its efficacy and safety in the very elderly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of ERCP in the very elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight hundreds two patients who underwent ERCP at Seoul National University Bundang hospital were enrolled retrospectively. They were divided into three groups according to their ages (non-elderly group, elderly group and very-elderly group; <65, 65-79 and >or=80, respectively). The indications and clinical outcomes including the complications of ERCP were compared among groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common indication of ERCP was acute cholangitis in all the three groups. Periampullary diverticulum was more frequently observed in elderly and very-elderly patients than in younger patients. Mean duration of hospitalization was not different among three groups. ERCP success rate in all enrolled patients was approximately 90%, and there was no difference in terms of technical success rate between groups (p=0.1). However, the number of ERCP sessions was significantly higher in the very-elderly patients compared to in the non-elderly and elderly (1.38 vs. 1.13 and 1.18 respectively; p<0.001). There was no difference in mortality and complication rate between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ERCP can be performed safely in very-elderly patients. Therefore, only age should not be regarded as one of the major determining factors whether to perform ERCP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Bundang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jang Eon
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung Hyo
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Sang Hyub
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin-Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sook-Hyang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Na Young
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Ho
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin-Hyeok
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003137:Common Bile Duct Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies