Safety and Efficacy of Colonoscopy in Nonagenarians in a Secondary Center

Aims Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for colorectal examination. However, even with life expectancy increasing globally, data concerning performance, diagnostic yield and safety of colonoscopy in the elderly population is still scarce.

Methods In a retrospective study, we collected data of patients ≥ 90y old, who underwent colonoscopy between January of 2017 and December of 2019 in a secondary health care center. Main outcome measures were completion rates, diagnostic yield, treatment, adverse events and 30-day mortality.

Results A total of 55 colonoscopies were performed in 45 patients (62 % female), with a mean age of 92y old, 67 % in an inpatient setting. The crude completion rate was 51 %, when adjusted to bowel preparation was 69 %. Diverticulosis (31 %) and adenocarcinoma (15 %) were the most common diagnosis and 13 % of the colonoscopies were normal. Cancers were found in 27 % of patients referred with anemia and in 7 % with hematochezia. Despite overall reasonable diagnostic yield, only 13 % of the colonoscopies resulted in targeted therapy (endoscopic or surgical) to the findings. There were no complications. The 30-day survival rate was 84 %.

Conclusions In our study, performing colonoscopy in nonagenarians was associated with higher risk of inadequate bowel preparation and a low cecal intubation rate, but was overall safe, with reasonable diagnostic yield translating into minor therapeutic benefit.

Citation: Coelho M, Dantas E, Sequeira C et al. eP7 SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF COLONOSCOPY IN NONAGENARIANS IN A SECONDARY CENTER. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S99.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021