Clinical and dynamic features of alcoholism formation in middle-aged and elderly patients with primary organic mental disorders

Objective. To investigate the clinical and dynamic features of the formation of alcohol dependence (AD) in middle-aged and elderly people with primary organic mental disorders (POMD). Material and methods. The study included 83 male patients aged 67.5±7.2 years with POPR, complicated by mid-stage AD, who were divided into 2 groups. The 1st group included 49 (59%) patients, the 2nd — 34 (41%) patients who had symptoms of POPR at 39.2±2.8 and 46.5±2.2 years, respectively, and alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) formed at 53.8±1.2 years and 66.8±0.9 years, accordingly. The study used questionnaires — social interviews, clinical (anamnesis collection), catamnestic, dynamic observation, statistical (parametric and nonparametric) methods. Results. Patients of group 1 began systematic alcohol intake at a younger age (cf. age 46.2±1.2 years), a low-grade course prevailed (53.1%), AWS appeared at an average age of 57.2±1.8 years, was of pronounced severity (21.32±2.48 points), the psychopathological variant dominated. Systematic alcohol intake in patients of the 2nd group began at a later age (58.4±1.4 years), they had a predominant (41.2%) — a moderate course, AWS was formed more often (41.2%) in the elderly (66.2±1.2 years), was of moderate severity (CIWA, 18.81±1.92 points), the cerebral variant prevailed. The average duration of AWS and light intervals in patients of group 1 was longer (p<0.05), respectively — 5.5±1.5 days and 23.3±2.8 days. Conclusion. The development of POMD symptoms at a young age may have an impact on the formation of AZ in middle age, a pronounced degree of severity of AWS, a low—grade course, and the appearance of POMD symptoms in middle age — on the later formation of AD, the average severity of the course of AWS, a medium-grade course. © 2024, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved.