Increased hospitalizations in elderly with inflammatory bowel disease on anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy but not increased infections: A community practice experience

摘要

Elderly IBD patients are at an increased risk for adverse events with therapy because of increased comorbidity, polypharmacy, and age-related physiologic changes. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy has been shown to improve remission rates and reduce rates of surgery and hospitalizations.However, few studies have investigated the safety of anti-TNF therapy in elderly IBD patients.Our experience from a community practice specialized in treating patients with inflammatory bowel disease was included. Fifty-four patients on anti-TNF were identified with 16 (29.6%) patients over 65 years old (9 men; 7 with ulcerative infection (UC) and 9 with Crohn's disease (CD); 5 treated with adalimumab, 8 with infliximab, and 3 with certolizumab). The control group consisted of 38 patients, 65 years old or younger (17 men; 11 UC and 27 CD; 14 treated with adalimumab, 15 with infliximab, and 9 with certolizumab).