COVID-19 and aging: Identifying measures of severity

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Maria Teresa Neves1, Leonor Vasconcelos de Matos1, Ana Carolina Vasques1

  • 1Department of Medical Oncology Hospital São Francisco Xavier, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Ocidental, Lisbon, Portugal.

SAGE Open Medicine
|July 12, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Older adults with COVID-19 experienced more complications and higher mortality. Specific severity scores are crucial for this population to ensure optimal care and identify mortality predictors like elevated C-reactive protein.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • COVID-19 disproportionately affects older adults, necessitating a comparison of clinical features and mortality predictors between age groups.
  • Understanding age-specific clinical presentations and outcomes is vital for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare clinical characteristics of older COVID-19 patients (≥65 years) with younger and middle-aged individuals.
  • To identify independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in elderly COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 195 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from March to June 2020.
  • Comparison of clinical data, laboratory values, and outcomes between older and younger age groups.
  • Statistical analysis to determine independent predictors of mortality.

Main Results:

  • Older adults (56.9%) exhibited higher rates of multimorbidity and more frequent complications.
  • Elevated admission scores (Early Warning Score-2, Modified Early Warning Score) and inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, D-dimer) were observed in the older group.
  • Modified Early Warning Score and C-reactive protein >5 mg/dL were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in older patients.

Conclusions:

  • Older COVID-19 patients face increased risks of complications and mortality.
  • Developing and utilizing age-specific severity scores is essential for providing optimal care to elderly individuals.
  • Early identification of high-risk older patients can guide timely interventions and improve outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19geriatric; mortalityolder agepredictorsprognosis

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