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ABSTRACT: Introduction
Older people have been reported to be at higher risk of COVID-19 mortality. This study explored the factors mediating this association and whether older age was associated with increased mortality risk in the absence of other risk factors.Methods
In UK Biobank, a population cohort study, baseline data were linked to COVID-19 deaths. Poisson regression was used to study the association between current age and COVID-19 mortality.Results
Among eligible participants, 438 (0.09%) died of COVID-19. Current age was associated exponentially with COVID-19 mortality. Overall, participants aged ≥75 years were at 13-fold (95% CI 9.13-17.85) mortality risk compared with those <65 years. Low forced expiratory volume in 1 second, high systolic blood pressure, low handgrip strength, and multiple long-term conditions were significant mediators, and collectively explained 39.3% of their excess risk. The associations between these risk factors and COVID-19 mortality were stronger among older participants. Participants aged ≥75 without additional risk factors were at 4-fold risk (95% CI 1.57-9.96, P = 0.004) compared with all participants aged <65 years.Conclusions
Higher COVID-19 mortality among older adults was partially explained by other risk factors. 'Healthy' older adults were at much lower risk. Nonetheless, older age was an independent risk factor for COVID-19 mortality.
SUBMITTER: Ho FK
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7644030 | biostudies-literature | 2020
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Ho Frederick K FK Petermann-Rocha Fanny F Gray Stuart R SR Jani Bhautesh D BD Katikireddi S Vittal SV Niedzwiedz Claire L CL Foster Hamish H Hastie Claire E CE Mackay Daniel F DF Gill Jason M R JMR O'Donnell Catherine C Welsh Paul P Mair Frances F Sattar Naveed N Celis-Morales Carlos A CA Pell Jill P JP
PloS one 20201105 11
<h4>Introduction</h4>Older people have been reported to be at higher risk of COVID-19 mortality. This study explored the factors mediating this association and whether older age was associated with increased mortality risk in the absence of other risk factors.<h4>Methods</h4>In UK Biobank, a population cohort study, baseline data were linked to COVID-19 deaths. Poisson regression was used to study the association between current age and COVID-19 mortality.<h4>Results</h4>Among eligible participa ...[more]