Pyogenic liver abscess in the elderly

Seventeen patients over the age of 60 years, admitted to the Aberdeen Teaching Hospitals between 1980 and mid-1988, were diagnosed as having pyogenic liver abscess. Eleven were women and the mean age was 73.5 years. The diagnosis of liver abscess was made by needle aspiration in seven patients and was an unexpected finding at laparotomy in three. Six patients were thought to be suffering from advanced malignant disease until autopsy. The overall fatality was 53%. Misleading results from special investigations reduced the chance of a correct diagnosis in several patients. Even in frail elderly patients, a filling defect in the liver should not be attributed to metastatic malignancy when there is no known primary site, until liver abscess has been excluded by aspiration biopsy under ultrasound or computerized tomographic scan guidance. The high fatality of pyogenic liver abscess seems to be at least in part due to a lack of clinical suspicion.