Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 24, 2025
Author Spotlight: Utilizing Traditional Chinese Acupuncture of the Ear to Improve Sleep Disorders
Published on: August 18, 2023
Age, Multiple Chronic Conditions, and COVID-19: A Literature Review
Mayra Tisminetzky1,2, Christopher Delude1, Tara Hebert1
1Meyers Primary Care Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
Insights
Older adults and individuals with chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease face higher COVID-19 fatality rates. Understanding multimorbidity and age is crucial for predicting severe outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Gerontology
Background:
- Patient demographic and clinical characteristics are linked to poor outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
- Previous research often focused on single conditions, necessitating a broader understanding of combined risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the predictive importance of patient age and the presence of chronic conditions on COVID-19-related outcomes.
- To synthesize existing evidence on the association between age, comorbidities, and mortality in COVID-19 patients.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed/MEDLINE.
- Daily alerts were utilized to capture relevant studies meeting inclusion criteria.
Main Results:
- Twenty-eight studies were included, with sample sizes ranging from 21 to over 17 million.
- Prevalent conditions included hypertension (15%-69%), diabetes (8%-40%), cardiovascular disease (4%-61%), chronic pulmonary disease (1%-33%), and chronic kidney disease (1%-48%), all associated with increased in-hospital case fatality rates (CFR).
- Older adults (>65 years) exhibited a higher CFR (65%) compared to younger individuals (<65 years, 42%), with similar increased risks observed across age groups when chronic conditions were present.
Conclusions:
- A singular focus on individual chronic conditions and age is insufficient for understanding COVID-19 outcomes.
- A comprehensive assessment of multimorbidity burden alongside patient age is essential for a complete picture of COVID-19's impact.
Background:
Various patient demographic and clinical characteristics have been associated with poor outcomes for individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To describe the importance of age and chronic conditions in predicting COVID-19-related outcomes.
Methods:
Search strategies were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE. Daily alerts were created.
Results:
A total of 28 studies met our inclusion criteria. Studies varied broadly in sample size (n = 21 to more than 17,000,000). Participants' mean age ranged from 48 years to 80 years, and the proportion of male participants ranged from 44% to 82%. The most prevalent underlying conditions in patients with COVID-19 were hypertension (range: 15%-69%), diabetes (8%-40%), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (4%-61%), chronic pulmonary disease (1%-33%), and chronic kidney disease (range 1%-48%). These conditions were each associated with an increased in-hospital case fatality rate (CFR) ranging from 1% to 56%. Overall, older adults have a substantially higher case fatality rate (CFR) as compared to younger individuals affected by COVID-19 (42% for those <65 vs 65% > 65 years). Only one study examined the association of chronic conditions and the risk of dying across different age groups; their findings suggested similar trends of increased risk in those < 65 years and those > 65 years as compared to those without these conditions.
Conclusions:
There has been a traditional, single-condition approach to consideration of how chronic conditions and advancing age relate to COVID-19 outcomes. A more complete picture of the impact of burden of multimorbidity and advancing patient age is needed.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:18Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
01:25Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-III: Symptoms and Complications.
Symptoms of COPD can be classified as primary or systemic. Primary symptoms relate to reduced airflow, while systemic or extrapulmonary symptoms relate to COPD's broader impact on the body.
Primary Symptoms of COPD:
01:20COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
01:29Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-V: Management
Smoking Cessation
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-I: Introduction
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic...