Distancing Measures in COVID-19 Pandemic: Loneliness, More than Physical Isolation, Affects Health Status and Psycho-Cognitive Wellbeing in Elderly Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Figures & data

Table 1. General characteristics of the population included in the study.

Age Mean (SD)	77 (7)
Male no. (%)	26 (65)
BMI Mean (SD)	28.2 (5.4)
Cigarette smoking history
Current no. (%)	13 (32.5)
Former no. (%)	22 (55)
Never no. (%)	5 (12.5)
Packs/year Mean (SD)	28.4 (25.4)
Lung Function
FEV1 Mean (SD)	1.81 (0.7)
FEV1 as % of predicted Mean (SD)	73.4 (21.5)
FVC Mean (SD)	2.96 (1.0)
FVC as % of predicted Mean (SD)	89.2 (22.6)
FEV1/FVC Mean (SD)	64.5 (8.7)
RV Mean (SD)	3.24 (1.6)
RV as % of predicted Mean (SD) TLC Mean (SD)	130.8 (57.8) 6.12 (2.3)
TLC as % of predicted Mean (SD)	101.3 (24.3)
RV/TLC Mean (SD)	49.8 (12.4)
GOLD Stage
A no. (%)	24 (60)
B no. (%)	4 (10)
C no. (%)	7 (17)
D no. (%)	5 (13)
COPD treatment
LAMA no. (%)	18 (45)
LABA no. (%)	24 (60)
ICS no. (%)	25 (62)
No. of AECOPD/year Mean (SD)	0.25 (0.43)
mMRC dyspnea score Mean (SD)	1.05 (0.95)
Walking distance in 6mWT Mean (SD)	375.3 (110.8)
Multi Dimensional Assessment
ADL Mean (SD)	5.7 (0.6)
IADL Mean (SD)	7.5 (1.3)
GDS Mean (SD)	9.9 (3.0)
MMSE Mean (SD)	28.2 (2.1)
Nutritional and Inflammatory markers
Serum Albumin	4.12 (0.5)
Fat Free Mass Index – FFMI	20.8 (15.5)
Serum D-vitamin	21.3 (10.8)
CRP	3.33 (2.7)
Neutrophils/Lymphocytes ratio	2.3 (2.2)
Platelets/Lymphocytes ratio	120.4 (69.2)
Chronic comorbidities
Hypertension no. (%)	28 (70)
Cardiovascular no. (%)	24 (60)
Anemia no. (%)	1 (2.5)
Hepatic no. (%)	7 (17)
Renal no. (%)	8 (20)
Musculoskeletal no. (%)	19 (47)
Psychiatric no. (%)	4 (10)
Genit-urinary no. (%)	20 (50)
Endocrinological no. (%)	21 (52)
CIRS
Comorbity score	0.64 (0.91)
Severity score	0.69 (0.34)

Table 2. Paired t-test comparing means of multidimensional tests before and during the lockdown period.

Test	Mean value at baseline (SD) (n = 40)	Mean value during lockdown (SD) (n = 40)	Mean difference (Δ) (SD)	p-value
Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)	9.9 (3.0)	12.0 (2.24)	2.1 (2.5)	0.09
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)	28.4 (2.6)	23.8 (5.4)	− 4.6 (3.3)	<0.001
Activities of Daily Living (ADL)	5.8 (0.6)	3.9 (2.7)	− 1.8 (2.7)	<0.001
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)	7.6 (1.2)	5.4 (3.3)	− 2.1 (3.5)	<0.001

Table 3. Paired t-test and Spearman’s correlation index between the differential (Δ) of multidimensional tests and social factors.

	Presence of a care giver (n°=28)	Absence of a care giver (n°=12)	p-value	No. of people living in the same house (Spearman’s correlation index)
Δ GDS	1.0 (95% CI:0.26 − 1.89)	2.4 (95% CI:1.8- 4.2)	<0.01	−0.293*
Δ MMSE	3.7 (95% CI: −5.8- −2.0)	−4.8 (95% CI: −6.8- −2.9)	0.11	0.191
Δ ADL	1.1 (95% CI:- 1.8- 0.3)	2.5 (95% CI: −1.8- −2.9)	<0.01	0.85
Δ IADL	− 0.3 (95% CI: −1.2- 0.4 )	−2.1 (95% CI: −4.7- −1.0)	0.03	−0.320*

*p < 0.05.

Table 4. Spearman’s correlation index between the differential (Δ) of multidimensional tests and indexes of respiratory function.

	Δ GDS (n = 40)	Δ MMSE (n = 40)	Δ ADL (n = 40)	Δ IADL (n = 40)
Age	−0,005	−0,281	−0,013	−0,226
CIRS Comorbity score	−0,290	0,053	0,093	0,136
CIRS Severity score	−0,281	−0,029	0,107	0,056
BODE index	0,116	−0,043	−0,233	−0,019
FEV1/FVC ratio	0,117	−0,216	−0,155	−0,192
FEV 1 (liters)	−0,104	−0,177	−0,038	0,029
FEV1 (% of predicted)	0,119	−0,295	−0,053	−0,184
FVC (liters)	−0,078	−0,108	−0,032	0,069
FVC (% of predicted)	0,216	−0,130	−0,055	−0,188
TLC (liters)	−0,090	−0,009	−0,055	0,147
TLC (% of predicted)	0,069	0,098	0,016	0,195
RV (liters)	−0,049	0,156	0,008	0,179
RV (% of predicted)	0,048	0,339*	0,083	0,217

*p < 0.05.