In:
Gerontology, S. Karger AG, Vol. 66, No. 5 ( 2020), p. 467-475
Abstract:
〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 Background: 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 The aim of this study was to analyze and summarize the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and compare the differences of young-old patients (60–74 years old) and old-old patients (≥75 years old). 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 Methods: 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 In this 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 retrospective, multicenter study, the medical records of elderly patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Hunan province, China, from January 21 to February 19, 2020 were reviewed. The characteristics of young-old patients and old-old patients were compared. 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 Results: 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 Of the 105 elderly patients 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 confirmed with 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 COVID-19, 81.0% were young-old patients, and 19.0% were old-old patients; 54.3% of elderly patients were females. Overall, 69.5% of elderly patients had underlying diseases, and the most common comorbidities included hypertension (43.8%), diabetes (25.7%), and cardiac disease (16.2%). Of the elderly patients, 22.9% were severe and 10.5% were critical severe cases. On admission, the most frequent symptoms in elderly patients included fever (66.7%), cough (64.8%), and fatigue (33.3%). Lymphopenia (31.4%), increased D-dimer (38.1%), depressed albumin (36.2%), elevated lactate dehydrogenase (41.0%), and a high level of C-reactive protein (79.0%) were common among elderly patients with COVID-19. The median prothrombin time (PT) and the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were longer in old-old patients than young-old patients (PT median 12.3 vs. 13.1 s, 〈 i 〉 p 〈 /i 〉 = 0.007; APTT median 39.0 vs. 33.5 s, 〈 i 〉 p 〈 /i 〉 = 0.045). Young-old patients showed fewer complications (14.1%) than old-old patients (40.0%; 〈 i 〉 p 〈 /i 〉 = 0.0014) and fewer received invasive ventilator support (3.5 vs. 25.0%, 〈 i 〉 p 〈 /i 〉 = 0.006). As of March 11, 2020, 85.7% of elderly patients had been discharged, 3 deaths had occurred, and 11.4% were still hospitalized. 〈 b 〉 〈 i 〉 Conclusions: 〈 /i 〉 〈 /b 〉 Elderly patients usually have chronic medical illness and are likely to have a severe or critically severe condition. They could show atypical symptoms without fever or cough and multiple organ dysfunction. Old-old patients tend to have more complications than young-old patients during hospitalization. Careful nursing, observation, and systemic treatment are very important in elderly patients.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0304-324X
,
1423-0003
Language:
English
Publisher:
S. Karger AG
Publication Date:
2020
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1482689-6
