COVID-19 and Elderly Patients – iO Foundation

July 9, 2024

Did you know that certain conditions or underlying medical conditions are associated with an increased risk of developing serious outcomes from COVID-19? When we talk about serious outcomes, we mean hospitalization, admission to intensive care units (ICUs), need for mechanical ventilation or intubation, and even death.¹.

One of these risk factors that is associated with the development of severe COVID-19 is older age.². And adults over 65 have a 6.7- to 10.6-fold increased risk of dying from COVID-19.¹. In addition, this same group accounts for more than 60% of COVID-19 hospitalizations, more than 60% of intensive care unit admissions, and more than 85% of COVID-19-related hospital deaths.³.

It is also worth emphasizing that in elderly patients, functional deterioration due to hospitalization is especially relevant.⁴It should also be taken into account that some patients are admitted to hospital due to decompensation of the underlying pathology as a result of COVID-19.⁵ and that the risk of death from COVID-19 increases with the number of comorbidities.¹.

Given all of the above, it is important to identify older patients for early treatment that can help prevent progression to severe COVID-19 and its consequences.

Recommendations:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with Increased Risk of Severe Illness from COVID: Information for Health Care Providers. Updated April 12, 2024. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-care/underlyingconditions.html. Last accessed June 2024.
2. Fan H.V., and others. Multiomic host-microbe profiling reveals age-related immune dysregulation associated with COVID-19 immunopathology. Sci Transl Med. 2024 Apr 17;16(743):eadj5154.
3. Taylor California, and others. COVID-NET Surveillance Cohort. COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among US adults aged ≥65 years – COVID-NET, 13 states, January–August 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023 Oct 6;72(40):1089–1094
4. Kovinsky K.E., and othersLoss of independence in activities of daily living in older adults hospitalized with medical illnesses: increased vulnerability with age. J Am Geriatr Soc 2003 Apr;51(4):451-8.
5. Ticinesi A et al. Multimorbidity and frailty are key characteristics of patients hospitalized with breakthrough COVID-19 infection during delta variant predominance in Italy: a retrospective study. J Clin Med 2022, 11(18), 5442.