[Use of anamnestic questionnaires in gastrointestinal diseases in the aged]

The authors relate their experiences in using questionnaires for taking the history of patients with gastroenterological enterological ailments. They have found that the older the patient, the more the results of the questionnaire diverge from those obtained by conventional methods of history-taking. Consequently the authors advise a cautious approach to the use of questionnaires when dealing with elderly patients.