HOW DID COVID-19 PANDEMIC AFFECT THE OLDER PATIENTS? COMPARISON OF CLINICAL FEATURES IN OLDER VERSUS YOUNGER PATIENTS.

Abstract

İntroduction: COVID-19 infection may be atypically presented in the olderadults with a poor prognosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical andlaboratory differences of COVID-19 course in older patients.Materials and Method: The demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiologicaldata of the patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection were compiledretrospectively. A randomized control group was created from younger patients.Chest tomography of the patients were examined and scored.Results: Data of 100 older and 127 younger patients with COVID-19 infection,and 80 non-COVID older patients were evaluated retrospectively. While themean CRP, fibrinogen, procalcitonin, urea, LDH, INR, PT, Troponin-I, CK-MB andtotal radiological lung score were significantly higher in older patients; the meanhemoglobin, hematocrit and d-dimer were significantly higher in younger patients.Lymphopenia was more common and the mortality rate was higher in the older adults.Lymphopenia, presence of comorbidity, being over the age of 75, and radiologicallung involvement were identified as mortality risk factors in older patients. Thecut-off values for mortality were as follows; age≥77 years, lymphocyte#≤ 700x103cells/µL, CRP≥108.71 mg/L, d-dimer≥2.25 mg/L, fibrinogen≥383 mg/L, INR≥1.05, PT≥12.5 seconds, aPTT≥31 seconds, Troponin-I≥19.1 pg/mL, total lung score≥6 points.COVID-19 did not increase mortality much more than other hospital-requiringclinical events in older adults (17% vs 26.25%).Conclusion: The older adults require special attention in COVID-19 pandemic.Those with comorbidities, lymphopenia, high d-dimer levels, and extensive lunginvolvement in the initial tomography should be followed-up closely