Acta Scientific Gastrointestinal Disorders (ISSN: 2582-1091) Volume 4 Issue 10 October 2021 Review Article Introduction The prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has grown over the last decade throughout the world. Between 1990 and 2017, it nearly doubled (3.7 million to over 6.8 million) [1], yet the incidence is quite variable, while showing a pattern of increase in all regions. Recent studies have indicated that whereas most initial diagnoses still occur in adulthood (20 to 50 years), there is an increasing rate of initial diagnosis in individuals over 60 years of age [2]. And these individuals have a higher risk of treatment- related complications as they age, as well as being associated with a higher risk of infections, development of cancer and increased infection-related hospitalizations [2,3]. These data, added to an aging population, have made IBD in the elderly an important public health problem. Mortality rates, preva- lence, years of life lost due to premature death (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) have nearly doubled over the past 30 years [1]. The pathophysiology of IBD involves an overactive response against intestinal microorganisms in genetically susceptible indi- Abstract Over the last few decades, several authors have demonstrated the relationship of the interaction of the immune system in a pathway called the “gut-brain axis,” with implications both for the local immune response and for the systemic modulation of inflam- matory mediators. The hypothesis that the underlying inflammatory disease contributes to the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2, and consequently patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may theoretically be at increased risk of infection and mortality, is still controversial. With the increase in the diagnosis of IBD in patients over 60 years of age, the increased concern in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was evident, as elderly patients have comorbidities that could raise the risk of worsening the progression of the infection and unfavorable clinical outcomes. Thus, a survey of the literature to date was carried out to understand the implica- tions of IBD in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Keywords: Elderly; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Elderly in the Context of COVID-19. What do we know so? Carlos Henrique Rodrigues Castro 1,2 *, Caroline Rodrigues Castro 1 , Jackson Santos dos Reis 1,2 , Ewerton Naves Dias 1 , Claudio Roberto Tavares Pereira 3 , Camila Neto da Silveira 4 and Luiz Ronaldo Alberti 5 1 Postgraduate Program in Professional Degree in Psychogerontology, Educatie School, Brazil 2 Technical School Educare, Brazil 3 Clinimage, Image Clinic, Brazil 4 OSID - The Charitable Works Foundation of Sister Dulce, Brazil 5 PhD. MSc. Doctor in Medicine, School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil *Corresponding Author: Carlos Henrique Rodrigues Castro, Department of Gerontology, Postgraduate Program in Professional Degree in Psychogerontology, Educatie School, Brazil. Received: August 25, 2021 Published: September 08, 2021 © All rights are reserved by Carlos Henrique Rodrigues Castro., et al. Citation: Carlos Henrique Rodrigues Castro., et al. “Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Elderly in the Context of COVID-19. What do we know so?". Acta Scientific Gastrointestinal Disorders 4.10 (2021): 09-12.