Reasons for and outcome of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients aged 85 years or more: retrospective study.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy has proved to be safe and gives a high diagnostic yield in elderly people. The prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases increases with age, and elderly people are also more vulnerable to the complications of these diseases. We retrospectively studied 154 gastroscopies performed in patients aged 85 years or more to clarify the indications for and clinical findings of gastroscopy in very old people. We also studied the influence of the examination on treatment and symptoms.