A Norwegian nationwide population-based registry study

BACKGROUND/AIMS

To determine real-world medical and surgical treatment patterns in elderly-onset inflammatory bowel disease in a nationwide cohort, and to investigate associations between frailty and treatment choices.

METHODS

Norwegian health registries were used to identify adult-onset (born 1950-1989) and elderly-onset (born 1910-1949) patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) diagnosed 2010-2017 (n = 13,006). Patients were classified as no, low and intermediate/high frailty risk after the Hospital Frailty Risk Score. Outcomes included use of medical and surgical treatment.

RESULTS

Within five years, elderly-onset patients received less biologics (13% [CD], 7% [UC]) and immunomodulators (24% [CD], 11% [UC]), and major surgery was more frequent (22% [CD], 9% [UC]) than in adult-onset. Respective log rank tests were significant (p < 0.01). Compared to no frailty risk groups, elderly-onset UC with intermediate/high frailty risk had lower probability of starting biologics (4% versus 9%), immunomodulators (7% versus 13%) and 5-aminosalisylic acids (66% versus 84%), and elderly-onset CD with intermediate/high frailty risk had higher probability of starting prednisolone (67% versus 49%). Respective log rank tests were significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly-onset patients received less biologics and immunomodulators and a larger proportion underwent major surgery. Frailty risk in elderly-onset patients was associated with increased use of prednisolone, and less use of 5-aminosalisylic acids, immunomodulators and biologics.

Comparison of Disease Phenotype and Course among Elderly- and Early-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in the Middle East

BACKGROUND

It is unknown if the clinical manifestations and phenotype of disease are comparable between early- and elderly-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to seek differences in disease phenotype, course, complications, and treatment between early- and elderly-onset IBD patients.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study on registered IBD patients in the Iranian Registry of Crohn's and Colitis (IRCC) compared demographics, disease phenotype, disease activity, IBD-related surgery and medications between early- and elderly-onset IBD. A generalized linear regression model was used to investigate the relative risk of age at diagnosis adjusted for gender and disease duration for the outcomes.

RESULTS

From 10048 IBD patients, 749 with early-onset (7.5%), and 472 (4.7%) elderly-onset IBD were enrolled: 855 (63.1%) ulcerative colitis (UC) and 366 (26.9%) Crohn's disease (CD). Left-sided colitis was more frequent among elderly-onset UC patients (P<0.001). Ileum and ileocolonic locations were the most common types in elderly-onset and early-onset CD patients, respectively. In comparison with elderly-onset UC, early-onset cases more often used prednisolone (22.1% vs. 11.4%, P=0.001), immunomodulators (44.9% vs 25.2%, P<0.001) and anti-tumor necrosis factors (TNF) (20.1% vs 11.9%, P=0.002). Elderly-onset UC patients had 0.7 times lower risk of aggressive phenotype (95%CI:0.6‒0.9, P=0.005). Early-onset CD was associated with higher use of prednisolone (27.7% vs 8.1%, P<0.001), immunomodulators (58.7% vs 41.8%, P=0.005) and anti-TNF (49.6% vs 35.4%, P=0.006).

CONCLUSION

Early-onset IBD was associated with a more aggressive phenotype and higher prednisolone, immunomodulators, and anti-TNF use.

Association of air pollution and genetic risks with incidence of elderly-onset atopic dermatitis: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Elderly-onset atopic dermatitis (AD) is a remarkable subtype and has been put on the agenda owing to its difficulty to control. Understanding the influence of genetic and environmental exposures is crucial to preventing elderly-onset AD.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the association between genes and air pollution on incident elderly-onset AD.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study was based on UK Biobank that recruited over 500,000 participants. The genetic risks were categorized into low, intermediate, and high groups according to tertiles of polygenic risk scores. Mixed exposure to various air pollutants was assessed using the weighted quantile sum (WQS) and also categorized based on tertiles. Within each genetic risk group, whether air pollutant mixture was associated with incident elderly-onset AD was estimated.

RESULTS

337,910 participants were included in the final analysis, and the mean age was 57.1. The median years for follow-up were 12.0, and the incident cases of AD were 2545. The medium and high air pollution mixture was significantly associated with incident AD compared with the low pollution group, with HRs of 1.182 (P = 0.003) and 1.359 (P < 0.001), respectively. In contrast, HR for medium and high genetic susceptibility was only 1.065 (P = 0.249) and 1.153 (P = 0.008). The population-attributable fraction of air pollution and genetic risk was 15.5 % (P < 0.001) and 6.4 % (P = 0.004). Additionally, compared with low genetic risk and low air pollution, high genetic risk and high air pollution was significantly associated with the incidence of elderly-onset AD with a HR of up to 1.523 (P < 0.001). There were no interactive effects between each group of genetic risks and air pollution. When grouped by sex, females could observe a stronger effect by genetic and air pollutant mixture exposure.

CONCLUSION

Air pollution and genetics both independently enhance the risk of newly developed AD, and the effect of air pollutants is stronger than the investigated genes.

Clinical characteristics of elderly-onset inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic non-specific intestinal inflammatory diseases whose etiology has not been elucidated. The prevalence of elderly-onset IBD is increasing; however, its disease phenotype, pathophysiology, and clinical characteristics are different from those of adult-onset IBD. In order to better manage elderly IBD patients, it is becoming increasingly important to accurately describe the unique characteristics of elderly-onset IBD. Therefore, this article, based on the domestic and foreign literature reports from 2017 to now, describes the characteristics of elderly-onset IBD with regard to pathogenesis, epidemiological characteristics, clinical features, and treatment.

Clinical Characteristics of Korean Patients with Elderly-Onset Crohn's Disease: Results from the Prospective CONNECT Study

The clinical course and prognosis of patients with elderly-onset Crohn's disease (CD) remain unclear. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of elderly-onset CD patients from the prospective CONNECT study cohort, a nationwide, multicenter cohort study of patients with CD in Korea. Among a total of 1,175 patients in the prospective CONNECT study cohort, 94 patients (Montreal age A3) were included and divided into two groups according to their age at diagnosis: the elderly-onset group (diagnosed with CD after 60 years of age, n=26, 67.54±6.7 years) and late adult-onset group (diagnosed as CD at age 41 to 59 years, n=68, 48.06±5.1 years). The elderly-onset group was characterized by a lower Crohn's disease activity index at diagnosis (124.89±101.9 vs 189.55±128.6, p=0.023) and higher rates of previous anti-tuberculosis treatment (34.6% vs 4.4%, p<0.001) than the late adult-onset group. Compared with the late adult-onset group, the elderly-onset group showed a significantly less use of thiopurines (p=0.003), as well as anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha agents (p=0.047). Additionally, the elderly-onset group was less likely to require bowel resection than the late adult-onset group (p=0.067), suggesting that elderly-onset CD patients in Korea appear to have more favorable clinical outcomes than late adult-onset CD patients.

[Successful treatment with enzyme replacement therapy for pelvic fragile fracture in an elderly case of type I Gaucher's disease]

A 76-year-old male with lower-limb weakness was admitted to our hospital where thrombocytopenia and anemia were noticed. CT showed massive splenomegaly and multiple nodules inside the spleen. Bone marrow examination showed an increase of macrophages with large cytoplasm. Suspected of splenic lymphoma, the patient underwent splenectomy. Spleen specimens were histologically analyzed and suggested the probability of Gaucher's disease (GD). Leukocyte glucocerebrosidase (GBA) enzyme activity had decreased to 1.25 nmol/mg, and mutation analysis of GBA revealed two missense variants, p.D448H (D409H), p.L483P (L444P), which confirmed the diagnosis of type I GD. Fourteen months after splenectomy, he developed right buttock pain, and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging showed a fragile right pubic and pelvic fracture. We initiated injection of imiglucerase as enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and administered bisphosphonate. His symptoms gradually improved without surgical treatment. In addition, thrombocytopenia and anemia also improved, and angiotensin-converting enzyme levels decreased. Type I GD should be considered a differential diagnosis of giant splenomegaly and thrombocytopenia, even in the elderly. ERT or substrate reduction therapy should be administrated to GD patients, while paying attention to the development of bone lesions.

Relation of geriatric nutritional risk index with clinical risks in elderly-onset ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Worldwide increasing aging societies have many elderlies with intractable diseases including ulcerative colitis (UC). Reportedly, each patients' frailty as well as chronological age is a clinical risk factor of elderly-onset UC (EOUC). Because malnutrition is one of the major manifestations of frailty, we aimed to investigate the effect of malnutrition on the prognosis of EOUC with geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), a prognostic tool for several diseases in the elderly to estimate malnutrition, and to evaluate clinical risks among EOUC patients in Japan, the world-leading aging society.

METHODS

The EOUC patients (≥ 65 years at diagnosis, n = 2778) in the previous nationwide survey were classified by age and GNRI, and odds ratios (ORs) of hospitalization and UC-related surgery were determined to evaluate the effects of malnutrition on the EOUC patients as well as aging.

RESULTS

The risks of hospitalization and surgery were elevated as age advanced. The value of GNRI, negatively correlated with disease activity (r = -0.53), could distinguish severe activity (cutoff ≤ 86.82, sensitivity = 0.79, and specificity = 0.77) and discriminate the EOUC patients suffering from surgery and hospitalization. In a multivariate analysis, GNRI ≤ 86.82 was a higher risk of hospitalization (OR: 4.0, 95% CI, 2.5-6.5) and surgery (OR: 2.7, 95% CI, 0.98-7.4) than cutoff age ≥ 75 years old (OR of hospitalization and surgery were 1.4 [95% CI, 0.99-2.0] and 2.3 [95% CI, 0.8-6.3], respectively).

CONCLUSION

Malnutrition estimated by GNRI was significantly related with poor clinical courses of the EOUC patients, suggesting that evaluation of nutritional status at the onset might be useful for predicting risks of clinical courses.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Older Adult

Although management of inflammatory bowel disease follows a similar approach for all adults, there are certain characteristics making its treatment more challenging in older patients. The advent of novel medical treatments has changed the paradigm of inflammatory bowel disease, with an increasing focus on preventing disease progression in addition to controlling symptoms. The safety of these therapies in the elderly needs to be considered. Management of inflammatory bowel disease in the elderly is confounded by comorbidities that can increase the risk of medication or surgical complications; polypharmacy and altered pharmacokinetics also increase the risk of drug-drug interactions and adverse events.

Low-dose corticosteroid with mizoribine might be an effective therapy for elderly-onset ISKDC grade VI IgA vasculitis

Both the diagnosis of elderly-onset IgA vasculitis (IgAV) and its prognosis can be difficult because of its rarity and the likely presence of comorbidities. Furthermore, the treatment of elderly-onset IgAV remains controversial: the ideal dosages of corticosteroid and/or immunosuppressants have not been determined. In the elderly, corticosteroid adverse effects can lead to severe outcomes, and a consensus regarding its benefit and risk balance has not been reached. We report a case of IgAV in an 89-year-old patient who was admitted to our hospital to investigate a 30-day history of palpable purpura and pitting edema on her leg. A renal biopsy showed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with IgA deposits (The International Study of Kidney Disease in Children (ISKDC) grade VI), which is a predictor of a poor prognosis; these findings led to early intervention with low-dose corticosteroid (15 mg/day) and mizoribine. As a result, a complete remission without obvious adverse effects was obtained. Early intervention with low-dose corticosteroid and mizoribine based on renal histopathology results might be an effective treatment for elderly-onset ISKDC grade VI IgAV.

Treatment-resistant synovitis and radiographic progression are increased in elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis patients: findings from a prospective observational longitudinal early arthritis cohort study

BACKGROUND

Clinical outcomes in elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA), starting after the age of 60, are conflicting. Thus, we aimed to investigate in a unique biopsy-driven, treatment-naïve early arthritis cohort, the relationship between synovial pathobiology of elderly- (EORA) and younger-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA) patients through clinical, imaging and treatment response outcome-measures.

METHODS

Patients (n = 140) with early RA (<12months) starting before (YORA, n = 99) or after (EORA, n = 41) age 60 had an ultrasound-guided synovial biopsy prior to conventional immunosuppressive therapy and after 6 months. Clinical, ultrasound and radiographic data were collected prospectively and compared between groups and against immunohistological features. Using multivariate logistic regression, we determined predictors of clinical response (disease activity score-28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate [DAS28-ESR]<3.2) at 6 months and radiographic progression (≥1-unit-increase in Sharp van der Heijde [SvdH] score) at 12 months.

RESULTS

EORA patients were more frequently male and presented most commonly with an abrupt, polymyalgia rheumatica-like onset and extra-articular features. Both before and after treatment, DAS28-ESR was similar but ultrasound synovial-thickening (p<0.05) and power-Doppler (p<0.01) synovitis and SvdH (p<0.001) scores were higher in EORA patients. EORA was independently associated with poor treatment response at 6 months (OR=0.28, p = 0.047) and radiographic progression at 12 months (OR=4.08, p = 0.029). Synovial pathotype, synovitis scores and cellular infiltration were similar before treatment, but a pauci-immune-fibroid pathotype tended to be more common in YORA at 6 months (p = 0.093). Moreover, YORA patients had a marked improvement of all synovitis parameters (p<0.001), whereas EORA presented only mild decreases in synovitis (p<0.05), sublining macrophage (p<0.05) and T cell scores (p<0.05), with no significant changes in lining macrophages, B cells or plasma cells.

CONCLUSION

Early EORA presents differently and has a worse overall prognosis than YORA, with poorer clinical, histological, ultrasonographic and radiographic outcomes.

Elderly-onset sarcoidosis: A single center comparative study

OBJECTIVES

Sarcoidosis rarely affect patients older than 65 years old. The purpose of this study is to compare and evaluate the demographic, clinical and laboratory features of elderly-onset (EOS) and young-onset sarcoidosis (YOS) patients.

METHODS

One hundred and thirty one patients diagnosed with sarcoidosis according to clinical, radiologic and histopathological evaluation were included in this study. The patients with initial symptoms started after age 65 were accepted as EOS.

RESULTS

Twenty (15.3%) of 131 patients were diagnosed as EOS, and 111 (84.7%) patients were evaluated as YOS. Fifteen of 20 EOS patients were female and 5 of them were male. Average duration of the disease was determined as 38.4 months for YOS and 22.5 months for EOS (p=0.556). Delay of the diagnosis was 12 months for YOS while it was 3 months for EOS (p=0.001). Higher rates of fatique, comorbid diseases and more hydroxychloroquine (HQ) use were detected in EOS patients comparing to YOS (p=0.010, p=0.003 and p=0.039 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

EOS patients are characterized with higher rates of fatique and comorbid diseases, less inflammatory sign and delayed diagnosis, and less DMARDs use.

Two cases of elderly-onset hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy manifesting bilateral peroneal nerve palsies

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy (HNPP) is characterized by recurrent focal neuropathies, which usually become symptomatic in the second or third decade of life. However, clinical phenotypic heterogeneity among patients with HNPP has recently been reported. Certain patients show polyneuropathy-type diffuse nerve injuries, whereas others remain asymptomatic at older ages. We present two cases of elderly-onset bilateral peroneal nerve palsies with diffuse muscle weakness in the lower limbs and glove-and-stocking type sensory disturbance. Both patients were diagnosed with HNPP by genetic analyses that detected deletions of chromosome 17p11.2 in peripheral myelin protein 22 genes. Their clinical courses suggested that the Japanese sitting style termed ‘seiza’, a way of sitting on the floor with the lower legs crossed under the thighs, was a precipitating factor for the bilateral peroneal nerve palsies.