Dementia is an age-independent risk factor for severity and death in COVID-19 inpatients

Author(s)

Tahira, Ana C. ^[1] ; Verjovski-Almeida, Sergio ^{[1, 2]} ; Ferreira, Sergio T. ^{[3, 4]}

Affiliation

^[1] Inst Butantan, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Quim, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Biophys Carlos Chagas Filho, BR-21944590 Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Med Biochem Leopoldo de Meis, Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA; v. 17, n. 11, p. 1818-1831, NOV 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

Introduction Dementia has been associated with COVID-19 prevalence, but whether this reflects higher infection, older age of patients, or disease severity remains unclear. Methods We investigated a cohort of 12,863 UK Biobank community-dwelling individuals > 65 years old (1814 individuals >= 80 years old) tested for COVID-19. Individuals were stratified by age to account for age as a confounder. Risk factors were analyzed for COVID-19-positive diagnosis, hospitalization, and death. Results All-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD) were associated with COVID-19-positive diagnosis, and all-cause dementia and AD remained associated in individuals >= 80 years old. All-cause dementia, AD, or PD were not risk factors for overall hospitalization, but increased the risk of hospitalization of COVID-19 patients. All-cause dementia and AD increased the risk of COVID-19-related death, and all-cause dementia was uniquely associated with increased death in >= 80-year-old patients. Discussion All-cause dementia and AD are age-independent risk factors for disease severity and death in COVID-19. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/23693-5 - Mechanisms of action of long non-coding RNAs involved with gene activation programs in eukaryotes
• Grantee: Sergio Verjovski Almeida
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants