Context
Age has been considered an independent risk factor for colonoscopy complications, especially when associated with multimorbidity.
Objectives
The primary objective was to verify the relationships between age, multimorbidity and colonoscopy complications in the elderly.
Methods
A retrospective cohort including patients of 60 years or older who had undergone a colonoscopy. Data relating to age, multimorbidities according to the cumulative illness scale for geriatrics and the Charlson index and complications related to bowel preparation and procedure (sedation and exam) were collected.
Results
Of the 207 patients (mean age 70.47 ± 7.04) with appropriate indication for colonoscopy according to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 43 (20.77%) patients had some colonoscopy complications: 1 (0.48%) with the sedation (apnea), 4 (1.93%) with the procedure (abdominal pain and bacteremia) and 38 (18.35%) with the bowel preparation (acute renal failure, hypotension). Individuals ≥80 years had an RR = 3.4 (1.2-10.1),P = 0.025, and those with a Charlson index 3 had an RR = 5.2 (1.6-16.8), P = 0.006, for complications. The cumulative illness rating scale for geriatrics was not associated with complications (P = 0.45).
Conclusion
There was a significant risk of complications in ≥80 years and in the group with a Charlson index 3. The cumulative illness rating scale for geriatrics was not a good predictor of risk in this sample.
Colonoscopy, adverse effects; Aged; Morbidity
