Outcomes of Elderly Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit With Severe Acute Cholangitis

The aging of the population goes along with an increased demand for intensive care among very elderly patients (above 75-80 years old). At the same time, there is a decline in the supply of intensive care units (ICU). The 1-year mortality of patients above 80 years old in ICU ranged from 40 to 70%. Moreover, many survivors suffer from long-term sequelae as poor quality of life, cognitive impairment and functional disability.

It is unclear under what conditions older patients may benefit from ICU admission. Cholangitis frequently occured in older patient. Moreover, severe acute cholangitis is a potentially life threatening disease characterized by a biliary obstruction and an infection of the bile possibly evolving towards systemic infection, shock and death. Because of its potential rapid reversibility of symptom thanks to early intravenous antibiotics and biliary decompression with drainage, old patients suffering from acute cholangitis are easily admitted to intensive care unit.

To date, there is a lack of data about the outcome in this population admitted to the intensive care unit with acute cholangitis.

The aim of the current study is to describe the outcomes in elderly patients (> 75 years old) admitted to the ICU with acute cholangitis and to identify prognostics factors associated with long term mortality (6 months).