Risk factors for predicting mortality in elderly patients with COVID-19: A review of clinical data in China

Abstract

While elderly patients are at high risk of fatality, research concerning COVID-19 has largely been done on clarifying the clinical features. As such, the present work aims to identify risk factors for mortality in elderly patients with COVID-19. Given that single-centre studies are less likely informative as elderly remains a minority in the total Chinese population, the present study reviewed the clinical data of geriatric COVID-19 patients gathered from different sources in the public domain. Based on the data of 154 individuals from 26 provinces, age remained a key mortality risk factor among geriatric patients of different ages. While dyspnoea and chest pain/discomfort were more commonly seen in deceased patients as they represented severe pneumonia, fever was more prominent in surviving patients. This was likely due to the lower baseline body temperature observed in elderly which translated to a lower maximum temperature of fever. However, lowering the threshold temperature for fever is not recommended in surveillance. Instead, baseline body temperature measured on a regular basis should be used to define the threshold temperature for fever. Against mixed results, more research should be done on identifying comorbidities associated with mortality in geriatric patients.

Extremely severe case of COVID-19 pneumonia recovered despite bad prognostic indicators: a didactic report

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Aesthetic dermatology procedures in coronavirus days

“…During this COVID‐19 pandemic, a pragmatic guide underlying the risk stratification and an appropriate aesthetic dermatological care is needed. Older patients and people of any age who have serious underlying diseases including chronic lung, kidney, liver and heart diseases, immunocompromised conditions, obesity, and diabetes mellitus might have a higher risk for severe illness from COVID‐19 5 . We must postpone all of the aesthetic dermatology procedures of these risky patients until this pandemic is completely over.…”

Clinical Features and Outcomes of COVID-19 in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Very few studies on COVID-19 have focus on the particularly vulnerable elderly patient group. In our review of literature, we came across a few case-series (13)(14)(15), and one review article reporting on the characteristics of COVID-19 infection in the older population (16). This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted with the aim to comprehensively describe the clinical presentation, co-morbidities, severity of disease and outcomes in older adults infected with COVID-19.…”