[The age and sex of hospitalized demented patients]

The difference in average age and sex was examined in patients suffering from Alzheimer's dementia, vascular dementia and combined dementia. The sample comprised 454 patients discharged from the Department of Psychogeriatrics, Vrapce Psychiatric Hospital, Zagreb, during 1998. Data analysis revealed that the average age of patients with Alzheimer's dementia was 80, patients with vascular dementia 75, and patients with combined dementia 79 years. Female patients comprised 70% of the sample while there were only 30% of males. Statistical analysis of the data revealed a statistically significant difference in the average age of patients with Alzheimer's dementia in relation to those with vascular dementia, as well as differences in the average age of patients with vascular dementia and those with combined dementia. There is also a statistically significant difference in the numbers of males and females suffering from individual types of dementia.