Characteristics of long-COVID among older adults: a cross-sectional study
Vered Daitch, Dana Yelin, Muhammad Awwad, Giovanni Guaraldi, Jovana V. Milić, Cristina Mussini, Marco Falcone, Giusy Tiseo, Laura Carrozzi, Francesco Pistelli, Mayssam Nehme, Idris Guessous, Laurent Kaiser, Pauline Vetter, Jaume Bordas-Martínez, Xavier Durà-Miralles, Dolores Peleato-Catalan, Carlota Gudiol, Irit Shapira‐Lichter, Donna Abecasis, Leonard Leibovici, Dafna Yahav, Ili Margalit
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To describe long-COVID symptoms among older adults and to assess the risk factors for two common long-COVID symptoms: fatigue and dyspnea. METHODS: This is a multicenter, prospective cohort study conducted in Israel, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy. Individuals were included at least 30 days after their COVID-19 diagnosis. We compared long-COVID symptoms between elderly (aged >65 years) and younger individuals (aged 18-65 years) and conducted univariate and multivariable analyses for the predictors of long-COVID fatigue and dyspnea. RESULTS: A total of 2333 individuals were evaluated at an average of 5 months (146 days [95% confidence interval 142-150]) after COVID-19 onset. The mean age was 51 years, and 20.5% were aged >65 years. Older adults were more likely to be symptomatic, with the most common symptoms being fatigue (38%) and dyspnea (30%); they were more likely to complain of cough and arthralgia and have abnormal chest imaging and pulmonary function tests. Independent risk factors for long-COVID fatigue and dyspnea included female gender, obesity, and closer proximity to COVID-19 diagnosis; older age was not an independent predictor. CONCLUSION: Older individuals with long-COVID have different persisting symptoms, with more pronounced pulmonary impairment. Women and individuals with obesity are at risk. Further research is warranted to investigate the natural history of long-COVID among the elderly population and to assess possible interventions aimed at promoting rehabilitation and well-being.