AIM: To evaluate clinical presentation, etiology, compli-cations and response to treatment in elderly patients with acute cholangitis.METHODS: Demographics, etiology of biliary obstruc-tion, clinical features, complications and associated systemic diseases of 175 patients with acute cholangitis were recorded. Endoscopic biliary drainage was performed using nasobiliary drain or stent. The complications related to ERCP, success of biliary drainage, morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stay were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 175 patients, 52 aged ≥ 60 years (groupⅠ, age < 60 years; group Ⅱ, age ≥ 60 years) and 105 were men. Fever was present in 38 of 52 patients of group Ⅱ compared to 120 of 123 in groupⅠ. High fever (fever ≥ 38.0℃) was more common in groupⅠ(118/120 vs 18/38). Hypotension (5/123 vs 13/52), altered sensorium (3/123 vs 19/52), peritonism (22/123 vs 14/52), renal failure (5/123 vs 14/52) and associated comorbid diseases (4/123 vs 21/52) were more common in group Ⅱ. Biliopancreatic malignancy was a common cause of biliary obstruction in group Ⅱ (n = 34) and benign diseases in groupⅠ(n = 120). Indications for biliary drainage were any one of the following either singly or in combination: a fever of ≥ 38.0℃ (n = 136), hypotension (n = 18), peritonism (n = 36), altered sensorium (n = 22), and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management (n = 22). High grade fever was more common indication of biliary drainage in groupⅠand hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management were more common indications in group Ⅱ. Endoscopic biliary drainage was achieved in 172 patients (nasobiliary drain: 56 groupⅠ, 24 group Ⅱ, stent: 64 groupⅠ, 28 group Ⅱ) without any significant age related difference in the success rate. Abdominalpain, fever, jaundice, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and renal failure improved after median time of 5 d in 120 patients in groupⅠ(2-15 d) compared to 10 d in 47 patients of group Ⅱ (3-20 d). Normalization of leucocyte count was seen after a median time of 7 d (3-20 d) in 120 patients in groupⅠcompared to 15 d (5-26 d) in 47 patients in group Ⅱ. There were no ERCP related complications in either group. Five patients (carcinoma gallbladder n = 3, CBD stones n = 2) died in group Ⅱ and they had undergone biliary drainage after failure of response to conservative management for 72 h. There was a higher mortality in patients in group Ⅱ despite successful biliary drainage (0/120 vs 5 /52). Length of hospital stay was longer in group Ⅱ patients (16.4 ± 5.6, 7-30 d) than in groupⅠpatients (8.2 ± 2.4, 7-20 d).CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with acute cholangitis have a high incidence of severe cholangitis, concomitant medical illnesses, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism, renal failure and higher mortality even after successful biliary drainage. AIM: To evaluate clinical presentation, etiology, compli-cations and response to treatment in elderly patients with acute cholangitis. METHODS: Demographics, etiology of biliary obstruc- tion, clinical features, complications and associated systemic diseases of 175 patients with acute cholangitis were recorded . RESULTS: Of 175 patients, 52 aged ≥ 60 years (group I, age < 60 years; group Ⅱ, age ≥ 60 years) and 105 were men. Fever was present in 38 of 52 patients of group Ⅱ compared to 120 of 123 in group Ⅰ. High fever (fever ≥ 38.0 ° C) was more common in group Ⅰ Hypotension (5/123 vs 13/52), altered sensorium (3/123 vs 19/52), peritonism (22/123 vs 14/52), renal failure (5/123 vs 13/52) / 52) and associated comorbid diseases (4/123 vs 21/52) were more common in group Ⅱ. Biliopancreatic malignancy was a common cause of biliary obstruction in group Ⅱ (n = 34) and benign diseases in group Ⅰ (n = 120). Indications for biliary drainage were any one of the following either singly or in combination: a fever of Hypension (n = 18), peritonism (n = 36), altered sensorium (n = 22), and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management (n = was more common indication of biliary drainage in group I and hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management were more common indications in group II. Endoscopic biliary drainage was achieved in 172 patients (nasobiliary drain: 56 group I, 24 group Abdominalpain, fever, jaundice, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and renal failure improved after median time of 5 d in 120 patients in grou pI (2-15 d) compared to 10 d in 47 patients of group Ⅱ (3-20 d). Normalization of leucocyte count was seen after a median time of 7 d (3-20 d) in 120 patients in group Ⅰ compared to 15 d (5-26 d) in 47 patients in group Ⅱ There were no ERCP related complications in either group. Five patients (carcinoma gallbladder n = 3, CBD stones n = 2) died in group Ⅱ and they had undergone biliary drainage after failure of response to conservative management for 72 h. There was a Higher mortality in patients in group II despite successful biliary drainage (0/120 vs 5/52). Length of hospital stay was longer in group II patients (16.4 ± 5.6, 7-30 d) than in group Ipatients (8.2 ± 2.4, 7 -20 d). CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with acute cholangitis have a high incidence of severe cholangitis, concomitant medical illnesses, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism, renal failure and higher mortality even after successful biliary drainage.