Aging and the Severity of Inflammatory Infectious Disease Such as SARS-CoV-2

This article provides a pathophysiologic view of COVID-19 in older adults within the frame of inflammaging, with a focus on antiinflammatory treatments for acute and postacute disease. How can Biology of Aging Explain the Severity of COVID-19 in Older Adults Aging has been identified as one of the most relevant risk factors for poor outcomes in COVID-19 disease, independently from the presence of preexisting diseases. The COVID-19 mortality risk sharply increases for elderly subjects, as showed by the reports of China, Italy, and the United States. In particular, in Italy, case fatality rate for patient aged 40 to 49 years or younger was reported of about 0.4% or lower, 1% among those aged 50 to 59 years, 3.5% in those aged 60 to 69 years, 12.8% in those aged 70 to 79 years, to 20.2% from 80 years and older. Age is not only an important predictor for mortality, but it is also associated with higher disease severity, in terms of increased hospitalization rates, length of hospital stay, need for intensive care, and invasive mechanical ventilation. Since now, different mechanisms responsible for worse outcomes in the elderly have been suggested, which include the remodeling of immune system, the higher prevalence of malnutrition and sarcopenia, the increased burden of multimorbidity, and, to a lesser extent, the direct effects of age on the respiratory system and hormonal profile. The interplay between all these causes, rather than the individual pathoph...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs