The clinical presentations and outcomes in a cohort of hospitalized elderly COVID-19 Egyptian patients: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background and aims: Elders at an increased risk of getting the novel COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the clinical presentations, laboratory and radiological investigations, and the patient’s outcome in fifty seniors aged 60 years and more who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 confirmed by RT-PCR essay of nasopharyngeal swabs in the period from December 2020 till March 2021. Results: The mean age was 68.2 ± 5.9 years (60% males and 40% females), 70% with comorbidities. Our patients exhibited a variety of clinical manifestations (constitutional, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and atypical) and hematological presentations with variable percentages. The mean period of hospital stay was15.05 days with 60% of the patients cured and 40% died (60% males, 40% females). The causes of death were septic shock (81.8%), ARDS (36.3%), AKI (18.2%), DIC (13.6), and encephalitis (9.1%). Using multivariant regression analysis and Roc curve analysis; levels of D-dimer >901ng/ml, interleukin-6 >13.5pg/ml, and >30% lung involvement were independent predictors of mortality after adjustment of other predictors. Conclusion: Elderly patients are susceptible to adverse outcomes of SARS Cov-2 infection. Unexpectedly, gastrointestinal manifestations were associated with mortality in seniors along with low oxygen saturation, and wheezy chest. After multivariant regression analysis only D-dimer, interleukin-6, and the degree of lung involvement in CT were independent predictors of mortality in seniors after adjustment of other predictors.