IMPACT OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE PHARMACOTHERAPY ON FRAILTY AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN ROMANIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
ANA-GABRIELA PRADA 1#, SORINA-MARIA AURELIAN 1,3#, RUCSANDRA-ILINCA DICULESCU 1,2, TUDOR STROIE 1,2, OVIDIU NICOLAE PENES 1*, ANCA LUCIA POP 1, GABRIEL-IOAN PRADA 1,4,5#, MIHAI MIRCEA DICULESCU 1,2
1 Faculty of Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest, Romania
2 Department of Gastroenterology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
3 Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, “Sf. Luca” Chronic Diseases Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
4 Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, “Ana Aslan” National Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Bucharest, Romania
5 Academy of Romanian Scientists
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With the increasing prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in older adults, treatment strategies for this population warrant careful consideration due to their potential impact on functionality and frailty. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 60 patients aged over 65 years with diagnosed IBD, to research treatment patterns and their association with frailty. Participants were interviewed regarding their IBD subtype and therapeutic course since diagnosis, with data cross-verified through electronic health records to minimise recall bias. The Pictorial Fit-Frail Scale for Healthcare Professionals (PFFS-HCP) was employed to assess frailty status. Results indicated that older female patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) exhibited significantly higher frailty scores (mean 5.0) compared to those with Crohn’s disease (CD) (mean 3.38), suggesting a greater disease burden among this subgroup. Males were more frequently classified in lower frailty categories (CFS level 1 - 3), indicating better clinical resilience. Notably, combination therapy was associated with increased frailty in older women regardless of IBD type, highlighting the need for individualised therapeutic approaches in this population.
