Biliary pancreatitis. Deadly threat to the elderly. Is it a real threat?

Objective/Introduction: Gallstone pancreatitis is a deadly disease and especially so in the elderly. This study highlights the incidence, pattern and management of acute biliary pancreatitis in the elderly patients to find out the outcome of management. Methods: All patients of acute abdomen regardless of the age and gender of the patients were admitted in our unit at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences and different private hospitals in Hyderabad during 3 years commencing from June 2009 to June 2011. The data was collected on a proforma by the author as soon as the patients were received from the emergency. After admission the patients with the diagnosis of acute biliary pancreatitis on initial workup were inducted in this study. The variables studied included the incidence, severity and management outcome in patients 55 years and above compared to younger patients below 55 years. Results: A total number of 650 patients regardless of gender with acute severe abdominal pain were brought to the emergency of which 131(20.15%) were diagnosed as acute biliary pancreatitis after initial work up. Out of the total patients diagnosed as acute pancreatitis, 63(48.09%) patients were <55 years of age and remaining 68(51.90%) patients were >55 years of age. The overall mortality in this study was 20.63 %( n=13) in elderly patients (> 55 years of age) in both the sexes despite all possible treatment measures. Conclusion: Elderly people respond poorly to the acute insult to pancreatitis.