An Analysis of Bacterial Infection Distribution in the Elderly, and Their Clinical and Laboratory Profiles: Aging and...

The increasing proportion of the elderly population necessitates the development of strategies for managing infections encountered by this group. We aimed to examine the distribution of bacterial infections, their clinical presentations, treatments used, and in-hospital mortality rates among elderly patients.

We examined a cohort aged 65-79 (Group 1) and aged 80 and above (Group 2) with bacterial infections. Demographic characteristics, underlying conditions, clinical/laboratory findings, and mortality rates of the cases were compared.

The study included 177 patients, of which 44.6% were female, and the mean age was 76.0 ± 8.8 years. Group 2 included 36.7% of the study population with a higher incidence of sepsis and urinary system infections (p=0.038 and p=0.037, respectively). On the other hand, skin and soft tissue infections (42%) emerged as the predominant cause of hospital admissions in Group 1 (p<0.001). Fatigue and dysuria were more frequent in Group 2 (p=0.008 and p=0.044, respectively), and erythema was more common in Group 1 (p=0.012). Hypertension (58.2%) was the most frequently observed comorbidity. Neurological diseases/dementia were more common in Group 2 than in Group 1 (p=0.036). Also, a delayed procalcitonin response to antibiotics was noted in Group 2 (p=0.006). Beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors were the most frequently used antibiotics, and cephalosporin antibiotics were preferred to a greater extent in Group 2 (p=0.02).

The increased rates of urinary tract infections and sepsis in individuals over 80 underscores the need for vigilant clinical oversight. Effectively managing underlying conditions can reduce the incidence of some infections in vulnerable groups.