The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Oct 2020
Preexisting Comorbidities Predicting COVID-19 and Mortality in the UK Biobank Community Cohort.
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients tend to be older and frequently have hypertension, diabetes, or coronary heart disease, but whether these comorbidities are true risk factors (ie, more common than in the general older population) is unclear. We estimated associations between preexisting diagnoses and hospitalized COVID-19 alone or with mortality, in a large community cohort. ⋯ There are specific high-risk preexisting comorbidities for COVID-19 hospitalization and related deaths in community-based older men and women. These results do not support simple age-based targeting of the older population to prevent severe COVID-19 infections.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Sep 2020
Observational StudyDisparities in Acute Pain Treatment by Cognitive Status in Older Adults with Hip Fracture.
We examined the disparities in emergency department (ED) pain treatment based on cognitive status in older adults with an acute hip fracture. ⋯ Among older adults presenting to the ED with acute hip fracture, cognitive impairment was independently associated with lower likelihood of receiving analgesia and lower amount of opioid analgesia.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Sep 2020
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of older patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China (2019): a single-centered, retrospective study.
In December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan city and spread rapidly throughout China and the world. In this study, we aimed to describe the clinical course and outcomes of older patients with COVID-19. ⋯ In the recent outbreak of COVID-19, our local hospital in Wuhan found that patients aged 65 and older had greater initial comorbidities, more severe symptoms, and were more likely to experience multiorgan involvement and death, as compared to younger patients.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Sep 2020
Individual Scaling of Accelerometry to Preferred Walking Speed in the Assessment of Physical Activity in Older Adults.
Walking forms a large portion of physical activity (PA) of older adults. We assessed free-living PA using acceleration corresponding to preferred walking speed as a relative cut-point and studied how it relates to age. We compared the relative cut-point to a common absolute cut-point of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). ⋯ Preferred walking speed was a significant contributor to absolute MVPA and those who walked the slowest accumulated the least MVPA. Assessing relative PA using the intensity of preferred walking speed as a cut-point eliminated the dependency of PA on age and walking speed, and may be a feasible scaling option to evaluate relative PA among older people.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Sep 2020
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEffect of Thyroid Hormone Therapy on Fatigability in Older Adults With Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Nested Study Within a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.
Fatigue often triggers screening for and treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism. However, data on the impact of levothyroxine on fatigue is limited and previous studies might not have captured all aspects of fatigue. ⋯ Levothyroxine in older adults with mild subclinical hypothyroidism provides no change in physical or mental fatigability.