Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34143823›Full record

Observational studyPloS one2021

COVID-19 in persons aged 70+ in an early affected German district: Risk factors, mortality and post-COVID care needs-A retrospective observational study of hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients.

Matthias L Herrmann, Johannes-Martin Hahn, Birgit Walter-Frank, Desiree M Bollinger, Kristina Schmauder, Günter Schnauder, Michael Bitzer, Nisar P Malek, Gerhard W Eschweiler, Siri Göpel

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Matthias L HerrmannGeriatric Center, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0279-8506
Johannes-Martin HahnPaul-Lechler-Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Birgit Walter-FrankHealth Department, Tübingen District Administration, Tübingen, Germany.
Desiree M BollingerHealth Department, Tübingen District Administration, Tübingen, Germany.
Kristina SchmauderDepartment of Internal Medicine 1, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Günter SchnauderDepartment of Internal Medicine 1, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Michael BitzerDepartment of Internal Medicine 1, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Nisar P MalekDepartment of Internal Medicine 1, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Gerhard W EschweilerGeriatric Center, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Siri GöpelDepartment of Internal Medicine 1, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
University Children's Hospital Tübingen · DEUniversity of Freiburg · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCohorts of hospitalized COVID-19 patients have been studied in several countries since the beginning of the pandemic. So far, there is no complete survey of older patients in a German district that includes both outpatients and inpatients. In this retrospective observational cohort study, we aimed to investigate risk factors, mortality, and functional outcomes of all patients with COVID-19 aged 70 and older living in the district of Tübingen in the southwest of Germany.

methodsWe retrospectively analysed all 256 patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in one of the earliest affected German districts during the first wave of the disease from February to April 2020. To ensure inclusion of all infected patients, we analysed reported data from the public health department as well as the results of a comprehensive screening intervention in all nursing homes of the district (n = 1169). Furthermore, we examined clinical data of all hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (n = 109).

resultsThe all-cause mortality was 18%. Screening in nursing homes showed a point-prevalence of 4.6%. 39% of residents showed no COVID-specific symptoms according to the official definition at that time. The most important predictors of mortality were the need for inpatient treatment (odds ratio (OR): 3.95 [95%-confidence interval (CI): 2.00-7.86], p<0.001) and care needs before infection (non-hospitalized patients: OR: 3.79 [95%-CI: 1.01-14.27], p = 0.037, hospitalized patients: OR: 2.89 [95%-CI 1.21-6.92], p = 0.015). Newly emerged care needs were a relevant complication of COVID-19: 27% of previously self-sufficient patients who survived the disease were not able to return to their home environment after discharge from the hospital.

conclusionOur findings demonstrate the importance of a differentiated view of risk groups and long-term effects within the older population. These findings should be included in the political and social debate during the ongoing pandemic to evaluate the true effect of COVID-19 on healthcare systems and individual functional status.

Indexed as

AgedAged, 80 and overCOVID-19Data CollectionFemaleGermanyHospitalizationHumansInpatientsMaleNursing HomesOutpatientsPandemicsPrevalenceRetrospective StudiesRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID34143823
PMCPMC8213147
OpenAlexW3172163987

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.