Management of acute pancreatitis in a super-aging society

Abstract

Japan is said to be the world's most aging society, with over 29% of the population aged 65 and over. Many clinical studies and national survey studies in Japan show that the age at onset of acute pancreatitis is gradually increasing. In the real world, there are actually many elderly patients with acute pancreatitis. In the elderly, the most common cause of acute pancreatitis is gallstone pancreatitis, which tends to develop into severe pancreatitis and has a high mortality rate. Many high-quality clinical studies have been reported regarding the indications for endoscopic intervention for gallstone pancreatitis and the timing of cholecystectomy. This review summarizes the evidence regarding the characteristics and management of pancreatitis in the elderly.