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COVID-19 Infection among Older People Admitted to Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Chiann Ni Thiam1,2, Kejal Hasmukharay2,3, Wan Chieh Lim1,2

  • 1Department of General Medicine, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Ministry of Health, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50586, Malaysia.

Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 3, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Older adults with COVID-19 infection experienced severe disease and poor outcomes, with high mortality and complication rates. Delirium and lower Ct-values were linked to mortality in this vulnerable population.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Older adults are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, experiencing worse clinical outcomes.
  • Limited local data exists on the clinical progression and outcomes of COVID-19 in elderly Malaysian populations.
  • This study addresses the need for local data on COVID-19 in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the clinical progression of COVID-19 infection in older adults admitted to a Malaysian university hospital.
  • To identify factors associated with inpatient mortality among elderly COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study of older adults (≥60 years) admitted with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19.
  • Data collected from electronic medical records included patient characteristics, hospital treatment, and inpatient outcomes.
  • Statistical analysis was performed to characterize the cohort and identify mortality predictors.

Main Results:

  • The cohort (n=26) had a mean age of 76.2 years, with 57.7% females. All participants had comorbidities, and 50% were frail.
  • Significant findings include 19.2% presenting with atypical symptoms, 23.1% requiring ICU care, and 46.2% receiving targeted COVID-19 therapy.
  • Inpatient mortality was 23.1%, overall complication rate was 42.3%, with delirium and lower Ct-value associated with mortality.

Conclusions:

  • Older adults with COVID-19 exhibit severe disease and poor hospital outcomes.
  • Multimorbidity and frailty in this population necessitate vigilant hospital care.
  • Appropriate and timely treatment is crucial for improving outcomes in elderly COVID-19 patients.

Keywords:
COVID-19Malaysiaagedhospital

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