COVID-19 in Older Adults: A Focus on Clinical Characteristics and Frail Status

Chih-Po Chang ； Ching-Hui You ； Ling-Yi Tseng ； Yun-Ju Cheng ； Hsiang-Kuang Tseng

《International Journal of Gerontology》 14卷4期 (2020/11) Pp. 256-259

https://doi.org/10.6890/IJGE.202011_14(4).0001

摘要

Worldwide attention has been drawn to the recent COVID-19 outbreak. Many studies have shown that under the pandemic, elderlies, especially those with chronic diseases, are more vulnerable than youths. Upon infection, older people tend to endure a higher hospitalization and mortality rate, and the mortality rate after acute hospitalization appears even higher for frail elderlies than non-frail ones. Moreover, older COVID-19 patients can exhibit different, atypical clinical manifestations such as falls, delirium, general weakness, functional decline, and other geriatric syndromes indicating frailty. Therefore, this review suggests that the most effective way to improve the prognosis of COVID-19 infection in the elderly is to avoid the occurrence of frailty.

關鍵字

COVID-19 ； old adults ； clinical characteristics ； frail