COVID-19 and the elderly: insights into pathogenesis and clinical decision-making
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Graziamaria Corbi; Vito D'Agnano; Roberto Parrella; Klara Komici; Gennaro Mazzarella; Fabio Perrotta; Grazia Mazzeo; Luigi Aronne; Andrea Bianco; Matilde Boccia
- Source
- Aging Clinical and Experimental Research
- Subject
- medicine.medical_specialty
Aging
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Clinical Decision-Making
Pneumonia, Viral
Coronaviru
Coronavirus
COVID-19 Elderly patients
Nursing homes
Palliation
Sars-Cov-2
Review
Disease cluster
Pathogenesis
03 medical and health sciences
Betacoronavirus
0302 clinical medicine
Clinical decision making
Medicine
Humans
Medical history
030212 general & internal medicine
Intensive care medicine
Cytokine
Pandemics
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Betacoronaviru
Pandemic
business.industry
Coronavirus Infection
Nursing home
COVID-19
Immunosenescence
medicine.disease
Ageing
Respiratory failure
Cytokines
Geriatrics and Gerontology
COVID-19 Elderly patient
business
Cytokine storm
Coronavirus Infections
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Human
- Language
- English
The elderly may represent a specific cluster of high-risk patients for developing COVID-19 with rapidly progressive clinical deterioration. Indeed, in older individuals, immunosenescence and comorbid disorders are more likely to promote viral-induced cytokine storm resulting in life-threatening respiratory failure and multisystemic involvement. Early diagnosis and individualized therapeutic management should be developed for elderly subjects based on personal medical history and polypharmacotherapy. Our review examines the pathogenesis and clinical implications of ageing in COVID-19 patients; finally, we discuss the evidence and controversies in the management in the long-stay residential care homes and aspects of end-of-life care for elderly patients with COVID-19.