Crohn's Disease: Specific Concerns in the Elderly

Summary

Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis are the principal types of inflammatory bowel disease, which has a bimodal age distribution, with ∼10–15% of the affected population older than 60 years. The management of CD in the elderly population is more complex due to comorbidities, polypharmacy, impaired mobility, and surgical candidacy criteria. Further difficulty exists in the data and experience from clinical trials, which often exclude the elderly. Therefore, few data are available that directly compare treatment efficacies in younger and older patients. Recognizing prescribed medications and natural disease history in this population is the first step in preventing complications and improving quality of care delivered to older individuals with CD. This review focuses on the CD-related treatment, associated complications, and limitations in the elderly population.