COLITIS IN THE ELDERLY

Abstract

The records of 81 patients with colitis whose symptoms began after the age of 50 yr were analyzed to determine the importance of ischemia as a cause of colitis in this age group and to evaluate the accuracy of previous diagnoses. Patients were classified by clinical, roentgenological and pathologic criteria. A retrospective diagnosis of ischemic colitis was made in 3/4 of the patients, 1/2 of whom had original discharge diagnoses of ulcerative, Crohn''s or nonspecific colitis. Ischemia is apparently the most common cause of colitis beginning in patients older than 50 yr of age. The incorrect diagnosis of idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease in a large proportion of these patients may explain why colitis has been reported to behave differently in the elderly than in the young.