The associations of life quality, depression, and cognitive impairment with mortality in older adults with COVID-19: a prospective, observational study

ABSTRACT

Aim

Associations of depression, dementia, and poor life quality with mortality of COVID-19have not been studied yet. We aimed to identify the risk factors for mortality and analyze the associations with patients’ physiological and mental well-being, as reflected by comorbidities, life quality, depression, and cognitive impairment.

Methods

: Older patients receiving inpatient hospital care for COVID-19 were included.Demographic data, medical history, symptoms at admission, laboratory findings, and treatment outcomes were recorded.

Results

: There were 122 patients with a median age of 73.0 years. The mortality rate was 9.0% (n = 11 patients). Patients with mortality were significantly active smokers, obese, and having comorbidities using polypharmacy. Weight loss ≥of 10% during hospitalization was significantly associated with mortality.Poor life quality and a higher risk of depression, cognitive impairment, and falling were more frequently seen in non-survived patients. (p < 0.05). High ferritin was the only independent risk factor for mortality (OR = 15.61, 95% CI:1.08–226.09, p = 0.044).

Conclusion

: The presence of comorbidities, depression, cognitive impairment, higher falling risk, and poor life quality were significantly associated with higher mortality rates in older adults with COVID-19. High ferritin level was an independent risk factor for mortality.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• coronavirus
• older adults
• depression
• dementia
• cognitive impairment

Acknowledgments

This research did not receive any specific grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

We thank Gökhan Karakoç¸ and the editors of Model Statistics Center for help with the statistical treatment of the data.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

The study was performed under all relevant ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval

The local ethical committee(2020/21-205)and the Turkish Ministry of Health approved the study.

Informed consent

All patients provided written informed consent before participating in the study.