Clinical, biological and radiological features, 4-week outcomes and prognostic factors in COVID-19 elderly inpatients

Prevalence of COVID-19 anxiety, geriatric anxiety, and related factors among the elderly in Quchan, Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Anxiety is a prevalent mental disorder among the elderly, leading to discomfort, disability, increased expenses, reduced quality of life, and dysfunction. Consequently, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 anxiety and geriatric anxiety, along with the factors influencing anxiety, in the elderly population served by urban healthcare centres in Quchan.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved 650 elderly individuals aged 60-95 years. The participants were selected using a two-stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected through three questionnaires: the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), and a questionnaire on factors contributing to anxiety. Data analysis was performed using simple and multiple regression with IBM SPSS 24.

RESULTS

The prevalence of geriatric anxiety among the elderly was 40.3%, while the prevalence of COVID-19 anxiety (moderate and severe) was 22.8%. Significant relationships were observed between geriatric anxiety and substance abuse, stressful life events, comorbidities, COVID-19 anxiety, financial support, loneliness, walking habits, and sleep patterns (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 anxiety and geriatric anxiety are prevalent concerns among the elderly. Factors like substance abuse, stressful life events, COVID-19-related anxiety, comorbidity, living alone, lack of financial support, and poor walking and sleeping habits, which affect anxiety in the elderly, it is essential to address these factors in life planning and provide services through relevant organisations, healthcare teams, and initiatives by the elderly themselves.

Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in older persons: multi-organ complications and mortality

INTRODUCTION

Evidence on long-term associations between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and risks of multi-organ complications and mortality in older population is limited. This study evaluates these associations.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The cohorts included patients aged ≥60 year diagnosed with COVID-19 infection (cases), between 16 March 2020 and 31 May 2021 from the UK Biobank; and between 01 April 2020 and 31 May 2022 from the electronic health records in Hong Kong. Each patient was randomly matched with individuals without COVID-19 infection based on year of birth and sex and were followed for up to 18 months until 31 August 2021 for UKB, and up to 28 months until 15 August 2022 for HK cohort. Patients with COVID-19 infection over 6 months after the date of last dose of vaccination and their corresponding controls were excluded from our study. Characteristics between cohorts were further adjusted with Inverse Probability Treatment Weighting. For evaluating long-term association of COVID-19 with multi-organ disease complications and mortality after 21-days of diagnosis, Cox regression was employed.

RESULT

10,759 (UKB) and 165,259 (HK) older adults with COVID-19 infection with matched 291,077 (UKB) and 1,100,394 (HK) non-COVID-19-diagnosed older adults were recruited. Older adults with COVID-19 were associated with a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular outcomes [major cardiovascular disease (stroke, heart failure and coronary heart disease): hazard ratio(UKB): 1.4 (95% Confidence interval: 1.1,1.6), HK:1.2 (95% CI: 1.1,1.3)]; myocardial infarction: HR(UKB): 1.8 (95% CI: 1.3,2.4), HK:1.2 (95% CI: 1.0,1.4)]; respiratory outcomes [interstitial lung disease: HR(UKB: 3.4 (95% CI: 2.5,4.5), HK: 4.0 (95% CI: 1.3,12.8); chronic pulmonary disease: HR(UKB): 1.7 (95% CI: 1.3,2.2), HK:1.6 (95% CI: 1.3,2.1)]; neuropsychiatric outcomes [seizure: HR(UKB): 2.6 (95% CI: 1.7,4.1), HK: 1.6 (95% CI: 1.2,2.1)]; and renal outcomes [acute kidney disease: HR(UKB): 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1,1.6), HK:1.6 (95% CI: 1.3,2.1)]; and all-cause mortality [HR(UKB): 4.9 (95% CI: 4.4,5.4), HK:2.5 (95% CI: 2.5,2.6)].

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 is associated with long-term risks of multi-organ complications in older adults (aged ≥ 60). Infected patients in this age-group may benefit from appropriate monitoring of signs/symptoms for developing these complications.

Prevalence, Pattern and Functional Outcome of Post COVID-19 Syndrome in Older Adults

Introduction COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to produce high infection rates, significant morbidity and mortality among older adults. A significant proportion of people who have recovered from acute COVID-19 illness seem to suffer from post COVID-19 syndrome. Post COVID-19 syndrome is thought to be a multisystem disease involving physical, functional, mental and psychological domains. This analysis tries to estimate the prevalence, pattern and functional outcomes of post COVID-19 syndrome in hospitalized older adults. Methods A prospective cohort study was done on 279 older adults who were discharged from our centre between August 1st, 2020 and November 30th 2020. Information was collected through a telephonic interview after 90 days of discharge from the hospital using a standard questionnaire by a trained physician. Collected data were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results After 90 days of recovery, the most common symptoms prevalent in the study population were fatigue (8.9%) followed by cough (4.3%), breathlessness (1.8%), dizziness (1.4%), myalgia (1.1%), loss of smell and taste (0.8%) and chest discomfort (0.7%). The prevalence of risk of anxiety in the study population after 90 days of recovery was 7.5% while that of risk of depression was 12.2%. After 90 days of recovery, 66 (23.6%) patients reported the presence of at least one clinical feature while 9.3% had two or more clinical features. On comparing the mean activities of daily living (ADL) 5.58 (.795) and mean instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) 5.84 (1.49) before the illness and 90 days following recovery there was no statistical difference for the study population. Conclusion The prevalence of post COVID-19 syndrome in older adults is about 9.3%. The most common symptoms reported by older adults after 90 days following recovery were fatigue followed by cough and breathlessness. Most older adults retained their baseline functional status after 90 days of recovery from acute COVID-19.