Introduction:

Population aging is a global phenomenon. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, for 2015 the Mexican population over 60 years old represented around 9%; Low gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) affects predominantly elderly patients, the risk factors of age, comorbidities and the use of antiplatelet agents, anticoagulants, and anti-inflammatory drugs, make this pathology a clinical challenge. Colonoscopy is recommended as the first line in the diagnosis and management.

Objective:

To describe the frequency, etiology and comorbidities of low gastrointestinal hemorrhage in patients aged 60 years and older from the Hospital Juárez de México. To analyze the differences between sexes and endoscopic findings.

Material and methods:

A retrospective study of patients older than 60 years who underwent colonoscopy studies with low digestive tract hemorrhage was performed, information was collected from the endoscopy report file and the clinical file. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 25 for Windows.

Results:

There were 187 patients with low digestive tract hemorrhage, of these 71 (38.5%) were older than 60 years. the median age was 80 years, women 53.5%. Comorbidities in 47.9%, with systemic hypertension being the most prevalent (19.7%). Of the totality, only active hemorrhage was documented in 13 (18.3%) patients with successful endoscopic management achieved in 100% of the cases, no immediate complications were reported. The endoscopic findings were diverticular disease in 53.5%, polyps 22.5%, haemorrhoidal disease 14.1%, post radiation proctopathy 11.3%, among others. There were no differences in the frequency of presentation between men and women respectively: diverticular disease (51.5% and 5.3% p = 0.81); polyps (18.3% and 26.3%, p = 0.57); Hemorrhoidal disease (15.2% 13.2%, p = 1).

Conclusion:

The lower digestive tract hemorrhage is a frequent pathology among elderly patients, the main causes in our patients are like those described in the world literature, with diverticular disease prevailing as the most common in both sexes; without differences between both.

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