연구목적 타과 입원 중 정신건강의학과에 자문 의뢰된 초로기와 노년기 환자의 특징에는 어떠한 차이가 있는지 알아보기 위하여 연구를 실시하였다. 방 법 일 대학병원 정신건강의학과에 자문 의뢰된 타과 입원환자 중 50세부터 64세 범위의 초로기 환자(N=162)와 65세 이상의 노년기 환자(N=171)의 자문기록지를 비교분석하였다. 결 과 1) 정신건강의학과 자문의 주소는 초로기에 신체증상, 불안, 수면장애 순, 노년기에 인지저하, 의식혼탁, 우울한 기분 순으로 많았다. 2) 자문 결과에 의한 정신의학적 진단명은 초로기에 섬망, 기분장애, 물질사용장애순, 노년기에 섬망, 기분장애, 주요 신경인지장애 순으로 많았다. 3) 신체질환 치료제의 수는 초로기보다 노년기에 더 많았다. 결 론 정신건강의학과 자문의 특성은 초로기와 노년기 환자에서 차이가 있었으므로, 노인정신의학 자문 활동에 있어서 더욱 세분화된 노인 연령층별 접근이 필요하다고 제시된다.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to know differences of characteristics between presenile and senile patients who were consulted to the department of psychiatry during medical-surgical admission. Methods: The demographic and clinical data obtained from the medical records of psychiatric consultation in the presenile inpatients with age 50 to 64 years(N=162) and those of the senile inpatients with age over 65 years(N=171) were reviewed and compared. Results: 1) The most common chief complaints for psychiatric consultation in presenile patients were somatic symptoms, anxiety and sleep disturbance in order, while cognitive decline, clouded consciousness and depressed mood were most common in senile patients with statistical significance. 2) The most frequent psychiatric diagnoses after consultation in presenile patients were delirium, mood disorder and substance use disorder in order, while delirium, mood disorder and major neurocognitive disorder were most frequent in senile patients with statistical significance. 3) There were no significant difference in numbers of physical illnesses, while numbers of therapeutic drugs for them were more in senile patients. Conclusions : Our study found significant differences between presenile and senile patients on psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses in geropsychiatric consultation. Therefore, more subdivided age-specific approach seems to be needed for the geropsychiatric consultation activities.
