Impact of age at diagnosis on natural history of patients with elderly-onset ulcerative colitis: A French population-based study

International audienceBackground. Recent population-based study of elderly-onset Crohn’s disease patients reported age-related differences in disease phenotype and outcome.Aims. The aim was to assess the impact of age at diagnosis on natural history of elderly-onset ulcerative colitis patients with emphasis on disease presentation, phenotype and treatment.Methods. Elderly-onset patients with ulcerative colitis (≥60 years at diagnosis) registered in a French population-based Registry EPIMAD (1988–2006) were included. Demographic and clinical data at diagnosis and at maximal follow-up were collected using predefined questionnaire.Results. Four-hundred and sixty-five elderly-onset ulcerative colitis patients were included (median follow-up 6.2 years); 276 (59%) were Conclusion. Patients with elderly-onset ulcerative colitis differed in presentation, disease phenotype and response to medication with respect to age at diagnosis.