Increased severity of complications after therapeutic ERCP in geriatric patients with chronic pancreatitis: An observational study

Studies of therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in geriatric patients have mainly examined patients with biliary diseases, rather than chronic pancreatitis (CP). This study aimed to evaluate the safety and success rate of therapeutic ERCP in geriatric patients with CP. The medical records of patients with CP aged over 65 years (group A) were retrospectively collected in a tertiary hospital from January 2013 to December 2018. Sex-matched CP patients under 65 years (group B) were randomly selected into the control group (matching ratio = 1:2). The success rate and the complication rate of therapeutic ERCP in 2 groups were compared. The risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis were investigated by univariate and multivariate analyses. A total of 268 ERCPs were performed in 179 patients of group A and 612 ERCPs in 358 patients of group B. The success rate of ERCP in group A was similar to that of group B (92.16% vs 92.32%; P = .936). The overall incidence of post-ERCP complications was 7.09% (19/268) and 5.72% (35/612) in group A and B, respectively (P = .436). However, geriatric patients had a significantly increased occurrence of moderate to severe complications (2.61% vs 0.16%; P = .002). Female gender (odds ratio [OR] = 3.40; P = .046), pancreas divisum (OR = 7.15; P = .049), dorsal pancreatogram (OR = 7.40; P = .010), and lithotripsy (OR = 0.15; P = .016) were significantly associated with risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis in geriatric patients. Therapeutic ERCP is safe and feasible in elderly patients with CP. However, occurrence of moderate to severe complications after ERCP increased in geriatric patients.