Nutritional and Inflammatory Markers Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Elderly

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affects the elderly, necessitating better understanding of disease severity predictors.
• Identifying factors influencing clinical outcomes in older adults with SARS-CoV-2 is critical for public health.
• Interplay between physical characteristics and molecular data in elderly COVID-19 patients remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between anthropometric markers, molecular profiles, and COVID-19 severity in elderly patients.
• To assess the predictive value of calf circumference (CC) and abdominal circumference (AC) for clinical outcomes.
• To explore correlations between body mass index (BMI), vitamin D levels, and disease progression.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study of 43 elderly COVID-19 patients at São Lucas Hospital, Brazil.
• Collected anthropometric data (CC, AC), peripheral blood for molecular analysis, and sociodemographic information.
• Analyzed data within 48 hours of hospital admission to correlate with clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

• Overweight status and increased abdominal adiposity were linked to prolonged hospitalization and greater disease severity.
• No significant correlation found between BMI, vitamin D levels, and clinical outcomes.
• Elevated oxygen needs were common; overweight patients required longer oxygen therapy. Inflammatory markers showed altered profiles correlating with patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Anthropometric markers like abdominal adiposity are important indicators of COVID-19 severity in the elderly.
• Molecular inflammatory profiles provide insights into disease progression and outcomes.
• Integrated assessment of anthropometric and molecular data is crucial for managing elderly COVID-19 patients.