Table 1.

Demographic and clinical data for the 1996 and 1999 cohorts of acute patients (length of current admission is 3 months or less).

	1996 (n = 323)		1999 (n = 356)		Statistical values
Male sex (%)	50.5		54.5		*χ2 = 1.103 P = 294
	Mean	Median	Mean	Median
Age (years)	36.8 ± 11.5	36	40.0 ± 14.3	38	**Z = −2.614 P = 0.009
Duration of illness (years)	10.9 ± 8.4	10	12.9 ± 10.1	10	**Z = −2.114 P = 0.035
Length of current	1.3 ± 0.9	1	1.4 ± 0.9	1	**Z = −2.772
hospitalization (months)					P = 0.006

^*chi-square test

^**Mann–Whitney U-test.