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Hépato-Gastro & Oncologie Digestive

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IBD in elderly Volume 20, issue 9, Novembre 2013

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Authors
CHU de Rouen, service d’hépatogastroentrerologie, Registre EPIMAD et Unité INSERM U 1073, 1 rue de Germont 76031 Rouen, France, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Medical Center Los Angeles, Departement of Gastroenterology, CA 9009, USA, CHU de Lille, Registre EPIMAD, Lille, France

The prevalence of IBD (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) is steadily increasing and aging population will make this issue increasingly common. These diseases in elderly patients are associated with specific issues including frequent difficulties to rule out others common diseases in elderly including complicated of diverticulosis, ischemic, infectious or iatrogenic colitis. Moreover, ageing also raises specific therapeutic issues. Thus, the most effective treatments of IBD, thiopurines and anti-TNF alpha blockers induce age-dependent risks. A recent work has provided solid data on clinical presentation and natural history of IBD in elderly. In this age group, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis have often a less severe course and patients are less frequently exposed to extension or change of phenotype as compared to younger patients. These data are important and strongly advocate for conservative therapeutic approach in patients with late onset IBD.