Ulcerative colitis (UC) among older adults is becoming increasingly common. Geriatric UC can emerge at an older age or can start when someone is younger and continue throughout their life.

When older people develop UC, they usually do not have a family history of the condition. Instead, they experience changes in their intestinal microbiota over time.

These changes in microbiota — coupled with a weaker immune system — may place older people at a greater risk of developing UC.

Although geriatric UC is becoming more common, experts think this may be because people are living longer.

Read on to learn about what geriatric UC is, its treatment, and why cases are rising.

An older adult with ulcerative colitis.Share on Pinterest
patrickheagney/Getty Images

Geriatric UC is a term describing the condition that presents in someone over the age of 60.

UC is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). When a person has UC, they experience inflammation in the lining of the colon. Their symptoms can ebb and flowTrusted Source as the condition goes into remission and flares up.

Some people with geriatric UC may have received a diagnosis when they were younger, and as they have grown older, the condition has persisted. In others, UC develops later in life.

According to a 2020 review, approximately 25% to 35%Trusted Source of people with IBD are over the age of 60, and around 15% of these individuals received their diagnosis after the age of 60.

Older adult males have higher rates of diagnosis than older adult females. While this difference may be because IBD is more common in older males, it may also be because they are less likely to contact a doctor about their symptoms.

Symptoms of UC in older people are also slightly different compared to symptoms in younger individuals. For example, older adults tend to have less abdominal pain but are more likely to experience weight loss and anemia. They are also less likely to relapseTrusted Source.

People generally develop UC when they are 15 to 30 years old. However, it can affect people at any age.

While UC symptoms are similar between age groups, older people usually experienceTrusted Source less severe abdominal pain. However, they are more likely to experience anemia and weight loss.

Typical symptomsTrusted Source of a UC flare include:

Older individuals are more likely to develop other complicationsTrusted Source, such as:

UC in older adults is more consistent, and they are less likely to have relapses. However, when a relapse does occur, it is usually more severe, according to an older 2016 review.

When an older person receives a UC diagnosis, a doctor will first prescribe medication to keep their symptoms under control and prevent flares from recurring.

According to a 2016 review, a doctor may prescribe the following to treat UC in older people:

However, many older adults already take medication for other conditions. A doctor should consider any drug interactions that could occur.

When an older person has UC, they can develop several complications.

Some of these complications can affectTrusted Source the joints, causing arthritis, while others may affect mucus membranes in other parts of the body.

For example, a person may develop chronic canker sores in the mouth or experience inflammation in the eyelids.

Other UC complications includeTrusted Source:

UC has minimal effectTrusted Source on a person’s life span. In fact, one reason for an increase in cases in the older population is that people are living longer overall.

However, older adults with UC may need more care than their younger counterparts, according to a 2016 review. They have a greater risk of UC complications and often live with other underlying health conditions.

Having two or more coexisting conditions means doctors need to consider the best treatment options. For example, they should be careful using immunosuppressant drugs in older people with compromised immune systems.

Several factors could explain why the incidence of UC is increasing in the older population.

This may be because doctors are better able to diagnose UC. According to a 2016 studyTrusted Source, cases of UC in older populations are increasing at a faster rate in higher-income urbanized environments, so better access to healthcare can partially explain this phenomenon.

However, people living in cities and densely populated towns also tend to eat a more westernized diet, which is high in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates. When individuals routinely eat these types of foods, they disturb their gut microbiota and may increase their risk of UC.

Other environmental factors that can increase a person’s UC risk include air pollution, lack of sleep and exercise, and high stress levels.

Cases of ulcerative colitis (UC) in older adults are increasing, but this could be due to more people living longer. ResearchersTrusted Source have also found a link between rising UC cases and increases in urbanization.

When an older person has UC, the goal of treatment is to keep them in remission as long as possible to prevent complications.

Many older adults are on medication for other conditions, so treatment should consider possible drug interactions.