Can We Predict the Development of Ischemic Colitis Among Patients with Lower Abdominal Pain?

Abstract

Old age, hemodialysis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypoalbuminemia, and constipation-inducing medications are clinically important risk factors for ischemic colitis in patients experiencing lower abdominal discomfort with or without bloody stool. By considering these factors, we were able to predict with high accuracy the development of ischemic colitis.

Ischemic colitis in the elderly: Predictors of the disease and prognostic factors to negative outcome

“…In routine clinical experience, conditions predisposing to ischemic colitis-be they of a vascular, cardiogenic, iatrogenic or coagulatory nature--are common among elderly people [13]. The findings of population studies suggesting hypertension, diabetes mellitus and many drugs currently prescribed for the elderly as factors able to predict cases of ischemic colitis have little discriminatory power for the geriatrician [14,15]. Our study was conducted with a control group of geriatric-age patients to establish the risk factors for IC that best characterize the elderly population.…”

Ischemic Colitis

“…The investigators found that age greater than 60 years, hemodialysis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypoalbuminemia, and use of constipation-inducing medications were associated with having ischemic colitis. 7 A recent retrospective, case-control study sought to examine the role of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular risk factors, and treatment on the development of ischemic colitis. A total of 161 cases of ischemic colitis presenting from 1998 to 2003 were matched with 322 controls.…”

CT Findings in Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Ischemic Colitis: Suggestions for Diagnosis

“…In a minor percentage of cases, IC can be due to occlusive causes (37.5% in our series) as IMA thrombosis or embolism [27]. The IMA occlusion is detected at enhanced CT as luminal defect [28].…”