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Review
. 2022 Aug;38(3):461-472.
doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2022.04.002. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

How can Biology of Aging Explain the Severity of COVID-19 in Older Adults

Antonella Gallo  1 , Erika Pero  2 , Simona Pellegrino  3 , Noemi Macerola  4 , Celeste Ambra Murace  5 , Francesca Ibba  6 , Maria Chiara Agnitelli  7 , Francesco Landi  8 , Massimo Montalto  9
Affiliations
Review

How can Biology of Aging Explain the Severity of COVID-19 in Older Adults

Antonella Gallo et al. Clin Geriatr Med. 2022 Aug.

Abstract

Aging has been identified as one of the most relevant risk factors for poor outcomes in COVID-19 infection. Since now, different mechanisms responsible for worse outcomes in the elderly have been proposed, which include the remodeling of immune system, the higher prevalence of malnutrition and sarcopenia, the increased burden of multimorbidity, and, to a lesser extent, the direct effects of age on the respiratory system and hormonal profile. It seems that the interplay between all these causes, rather than the individual pathophysiological mechanism, explains the increased severity of the disease with age.

Keywords: Aging; COVID-19; Comorbidities; Immunosenescence; Inflammaging; Malnutrition; Sarcopenia.

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