HOSPITALIZATION OF OLDER AND YOUNGER PATIENTS IN A DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL-MEDICINE - VARIETY OF REASONS AND OUTCOME

In our study, we have attempted to define biological differences in ol der and younger subjects in the broader sense, with regard to the vari ety of reasons and outcome of hospitalization in departments for inter nal disease. We analyzed data and patients treated in the Department o f lnternal Medicine Rebro, in Zagreb, one of the Leading institutions in this part of the world, during a five-year period: 1987-1991. The m ajor diagnosis on discharge from hospital was analyzed. Diseases were divided into groups of internal medicine subspecialities. Out of a tot al of 31,808 patients treated during this period in the in-patient dep artments of the hospital, 26.5% were aged 65 years or more, and 73.5% were younger than 65 years. Gastrointestinal diseases were most freque nt: 36.5%, and of this number 35.4% were older and 36.9% younger; foll owed by cardiovascular disease: 19.8%, 27.7% older and 13.1% younger; and third in order of frequency were renal disease and arterial hypert ension: 13.0%, 9.5% older and 14.2% younger. These three groups of dis eases amounted to 66.4%, of which number 72.2% were older patients and 64.3% younger patients. With regard to the duration of hospitalizatio n, up to 24 hours was more frequent in older patients than younger pat ients, and also hospitalization of 10-29 days. Satisfactory outcome an d treatment was significantly less frequent in older patients than in younger patients: 85.6%: 92.9%, and lethal outcome was more frequent i n older patients than in younger patients: 10.5%:4.2%.