SEARCHNARRATIVE_REVIEWgeriatrics, immunology

narrative_review·geriatrics, immunology, infectious disease, internal medicine, epidemiology·PMC10057998

COVID-19 and Frailty

Vaccines · 4 authors, 4 centres

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This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.

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TL;DR

This narrative review discusses how frailty and associated age-related conditions may increase vulnerability to severe COVID-19 in older adults and explores potential long-term consequences like sarcopenia and dementia.

Full summary

651 CHARS

This narrative review examines the relationship between frailty, aging, comorbidities, and COVID-19 outcomes. The authors discuss how older age is a major risk factor for adverse COVID-19 outcomes, potentially due to immunosenescence and chronic inflammation. The review further explores post-COVID-19 sequelae, suggesting inflammation may be implicated in sarcopenia progression, functional decline, and dementia. It also notes that vaccine immunogenicity is influenced by advanced age, frailty degree, and male gender. The implications are for recognizing and preparing for the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 in frail elderly populations.

STUDY TYPE

narrative_review

SPECIALTY

geriatrics

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AI pipeline

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100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10057998

COVID-19 and Frailty

Vaccines

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ABSTRACT

Older age is a major risk factor for adverse outcomes of COVID-19, potentially due to immunosenescence and chronic low-grade inflammation, both characteristics of older adults which synergistically contribute to their vulnerability. Furthermore, older age is also associated with decreased kidney function and is consequently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. All of this in the course of COVID-19 infection can worsen and promote the progression of chronic kidney damage and all its sequelae. Frailty is a condition characterized by the decline in function of several homeostatic systems, leading to increased vulnerability to stressors and risk of adverse health outcomes. Thus, it is very likely that frailty, together with comorbidities, may have contributed to the high vulnerability to severe clinical manifestations and deaths from COVID-19 among older people. The combination of viral infection and chronic inflammation in the elderly could cause multiple unforeseen harmful consequences, affecting overall disability and mortality rates. In post-COVID-19 patients, inflammation has been implicated in sarcopenia progression, functional activity decline, and dementia. After the pandemic, it is imperative to shine a spotlight on these sequelae so that we can be prepared for the future outcomes of the ongoing pandemic. Here, we discuss the potential long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its possibility of causing permanent damage to the precarious balance existing in the frail elderly with multiple pathologies.

CITATION EXPORT

Tiziana Ciarambino, Pietro Crispino, Giovanni Minervini et al.. COVID-19 and Frailty. Vaccines. (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030606

AUTHORS

4 · 4 CENTRES

Tiziana Ciarambino, Pietro Crispino, Giovanni Minervini, Mauro Giordano

1Internal Medicine Department, Hospital of Marcianise, ASL Caserta, 81037 Caserta, Italy
2Internal Medicine Department, Hospital of Latina, ASL Latina, 04100 Latina, Italy
3Internal Medicine Department, Hospital of Lagonegro, AOR San Carlo, 85042 Lagonegro, Italy
4Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Science, University of Campania, L. Vanvitelli, 81100 Naples, Italy

EDITOR / REVIEWER

Hanzhong Ke, Zhaoqi Yan