Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of 821 Older Patients with SARS-Cov-2 Infection Admitted to Acute Care Geriatric Wards.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information describing the characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized older patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: We conducted a multicentric retrospective cohort study in 13 acute COVID-19 geriatric wards, from March 13 to April 15, 2020, in Paris area. All consecutive patients aged ≥ 70 years, with confirmed COVID-19, were enrolled. RESULTS: Of the 821 patients included in the study, the mean (SD) age was 86 (7) years; 58% were female; 85% had ≥ 2 comorbidities; 29% lived in an institution; and the median (interquartile range) Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL) score was 4 [2-6]. The most common symptoms at COVID-19 onset were asthenia (63%), fever (55%), dyspnea (45%), dry cough (45%) and delirium (25%). The in-hospital mortality was 31% (95% confidence interval [CI], 27 to 33). On multivariate analysis, at COVID-19 onset, the probability of in-hospital mortality was increased with male gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.85; 95% CI, 1.30 to 2.63), ADL score < 4 (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.25 to 2.70), asthenia (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.32), quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score ≥ 2 (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.64 to 4.22) and specific COVID-19 anomalies on chest computerized tomography (OR, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.07 to 6.46). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new information about older patients with COVID-19 who are hospitalized. A quick bedside evaluation at admission of sex, functional status, systolic arterial pressure, consciousness, respiratory rate and asthenia can identify older patients at risk of unfavorable outcomes.