MULTIPLE PATHOLOGIES AND DRUG CONSUMPTION IN A GROUP OF CENTENARIANS FROM EASTERN SICILY

Multiple pathologies are characteristic for the elderly. We evaluated the prevalence of multiple pathologies in 28 randomly selected centena rians living in Eastern Sicily and compared the data with those obtain ed in another random group of 28 control subjects over 80 years of age . It has been revealed that 25 % of the centenarians suffered from 0 - 3 pathologies, while the remaining 75 % displayed more than 3 patholo gies. The control subjects had 0 - 3 pathologies in 50 % of over 80 ye ars, while 50 %, were affected by more than 3 pathologies. In centenar ians the most prevalent pathologies involved the sensorial apparatus ( sight and hearing), followed by the digestive, urogenital and cardiova scular systems. In the control group the rank of occurrence was as fol lows: cardiovascular system, osteoarticular and respiratory apparatuse s, and sensorium. We com pared drug consumption in the two age groups. In the centenarians, 71.43 % took 0 - 3 drugs, while 28.57 % took mor e than 3 drugs. In the control group, 53.57 % took 0 - 3 drugs, wherea s 46.43 % took more than 3 drugs.