Findings and Risk Factors of Early Mortality of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Different Cohorts of Elderly Patients

OBJECTIVES To analyze experience of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with of different age cohorts and discuss the risk factors of early mortality after ERCP. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Tertiary care medical center. PARTICIPANTS Two hundred sixty-four patients with pancreatobiliary diseases divided into cohorts according to decades as young-old (YO, 65-74, n=143), old-old (OO, 75-84, n=88), and very-old (VO, >= 85, n=33). MEASUREMENTS The indications, results, and complications of ERCP in these three groups were demonstrated and compared. RESULTS Three hundred three ERCP procedures were performed. The leading indication for ERCP was common bile duct (CBD) obstruction or dilation. Diabetes mellitus was significantly more prevalent in the YO group (39.2%) than in the other two groups (OO, 15.9%; VO, 24.2%; P=.001). The most common finding of ERCP was CBD dilatation. There was no difference in incidence of malignant diseases between the three groups. Acute pancreatitis was the most frequently identified post-ERCP complication. There was no significant difference in early mortality between the three cohorts. Patients with malignancy had higher early mortality than those with benign disease (71.4% vs 11.2%; P=.001). CONCLUSION The findings and incidences of complication of ERCP in different elderly cohorts were similar. Underlying malignancy seemed to bear some relation to early mortality after the ERCP procedure.