Inflammatory bowel disease in the elderly.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease both may occur in the elderly. In many populations, a second peak in the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease occurs near age 70. Clinical manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease in the elderly are generally similar to those seen in younger patients, although there is a tendency for both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease to involve more distal segments of the gut in older patients. Ischemic and infectious colitis, diverticulitis, and malignancy can all masquerade as inflammatory bowel disease in the elderly. Recent epidemiologic and clinical reports indicate that the outlook for older patients with inflammatory bowel disease is more favorable than previously suspected.