tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Am Geriatr Soc
. 2025 Mar 17.
doi: 10.1111/jgs.19420. Online ahead of print. Functional Trajectories After COVID-19 Hospitalization Among Older Adults
Jim Q Ho[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Gail J McAvay[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Terrence E Murphy[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Denise Acampora[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Katy Araujo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mary Geda[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Thomas M Gill[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alexandra M Hajduk[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Andrew B Cohen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Lauren E Ferrante[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: Little is known about functional trajectories among older adults who survive hospitalization for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We characterized these trajectories over 6 months following discharge and evaluated the associations of potential risk factors with trajectory membership.
Methods: Participants were community-dwelling adults ≥ 60 years of age hospitalized for COVID-19 from June 2020 to June 2021. Interviews completed at 1, 3, and 6 months after discharge included assessments for disability in 15 functional activities. Functional trajectories were identified using latent class analysis. Factors associated with trajectory membership were evaluated using multinomial regression.
Results: 311 participants (mean age 71.3 years) were included. Four different functional trajectories were identified: no (43%), mild (16%), moderate (23%), and severe (18%) disability. The pre-admission count of disabilities was independently associated with membership in each non-reference trajectory. Additional factors independently associated with the moderate trajectory included in-hospital delirium (OR 4.12 [95% CI 1.11-15.4]), frailty (OR 1.67 [95% CI 1.12-2.50]) and number of comorbidities (OR 1.41 [95% CI 1.12-1.79]) and with the severe trajectory included in-hospital delirium (OR 12.4 [95% CI 1.93-79.4]), frailty (OR 2.01 [95% CI 1.11-3.62]), number of comorbidities (OR 1.59 [95% 1.11-2.28]), severity of illness (OR 1.46 [95% CI 1.09-1.95]), and age (OR 1.10 [95% CI 1.02-1.18]).
Conclusions: Older survivors of COVID-19 hospitalization experience distinct functional trajectories. Our findings may help inform shared medical decision-making during and after hospitalization and stimulate further research into modifiable risk factors.
Keywords: COVID‐19; disability; function; geriatrics; hospitalization.
. 2025 Mar 17.
doi: 10.1111/jgs.19420. Online ahead of print. Functional Trajectories After COVID-19 Hospitalization Among Older Adults
Jim Q Ho[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Gail J McAvay[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Terrence E Murphy[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Denise Acampora[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Katy Araujo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mary Geda[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Thomas M Gill[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alexandra M Hajduk[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Andrew B Cohen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Lauren E Ferrante[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 40096163
- DOI: 10.1111/jgs.19420
Background: Little is known about functional trajectories among older adults who survive hospitalization for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We characterized these trajectories over 6 months following discharge and evaluated the associations of potential risk factors with trajectory membership.
Methods: Participants were community-dwelling adults ≥ 60 years of age hospitalized for COVID-19 from June 2020 to June 2021. Interviews completed at 1, 3, and 6 months after discharge included assessments for disability in 15 functional activities. Functional trajectories were identified using latent class analysis. Factors associated with trajectory membership were evaluated using multinomial regression.
Results: 311 participants (mean age 71.3 years) were included. Four different functional trajectories were identified: no (43%), mild (16%), moderate (23%), and severe (18%) disability. The pre-admission count of disabilities was independently associated with membership in each non-reference trajectory. Additional factors independently associated with the moderate trajectory included in-hospital delirium (OR 4.12 [95% CI 1.11-15.4]), frailty (OR 1.67 [95% CI 1.12-2.50]) and number of comorbidities (OR 1.41 [95% CI 1.12-1.79]) and with the severe trajectory included in-hospital delirium (OR 12.4 [95% CI 1.93-79.4]), frailty (OR 2.01 [95% CI 1.11-3.62]), number of comorbidities (OR 1.59 [95% 1.11-2.28]), severity of illness (OR 1.46 [95% CI 1.09-1.95]), and age (OR 1.10 [95% CI 1.02-1.18]).
Conclusions: Older survivors of COVID-19 hospitalization experience distinct functional trajectories. Our findings may help inform shared medical decision-making during and after hospitalization and stimulate further research into modifiable risk factors.
Keywords: COVID‐19; disability; function; geriatrics; hospitalization.