Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the comorbid elderly: a retrospective comparative study in New...

To ascertain if endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the elderly is associated with an increased risk of complications.

Retrospective study of 509 consecutive ERCPs on 338 patients in one year (2019-2020). Patients were categorised as >75 years old (elderly test group) or ≤75 (controls). The primary outcome was ERCP complications. Secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay after complications, intensive care admissions, and all-cause mortality at 30 and 90 days.

Forty-four complications occurred in a group of 42 (8%) patients; 11 (2%) were severe, including four deaths. The most common complication was pancreatitis n=33 (6%). There was no difference in complication rates between the elderly and younger controls. Length of stay after complications was similar (median five versus four days; p=0.354). All-cause mortality was higher in the elderly at 30-days (8.5% versus 2%; p=0.002) and 90-days (19.7% versus 6.9%; p=0.001), mostly attributed to malignancy. Logistic analysis showed that neither age >75 years nor Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) ≥5 was associated with post-ERCP pancreatitis, but a CCI≥5 strongly increased the odds of death at 90-days (AOR=74.44; 95% confidence interval (CI): 9.78- 566.38, p<0.001).

ERCP is relatively safe in elderly patients, but comorbidities should be considered to avoid subjecting vulnerable individuals with a short life expectancy to unnecessary procedures.