[Esophagitis in elderly patients. A prospective study in a geriatric internal medicine department]

The authors report the results of a prospective study in a geriatric unit. 287 upper gastro intestinal endoscopies were performed on 265 patients the endoscopic examinations, oesophagitis in the population was found 40 times (15%). Most of the clinical oesophagitis presentation is non-specific, the nutritional status is quickly involved. As for adult people, relationship between oesophagitis and hiatal hernia is strong; 27 of 40 oesophagitis (67.5%) had a concomitant hiatal hernia whereas 27 of 62 hiatal hernia were associated with oesophagitis. A permissive role of medicine who decrease lower oesophageal sphincter pressure cannot be assessed. This study about oesophagitis in the elderly confirm the importance of performing endoscopic procedures, even in case of non-specific symptoms.