The preventive strategy for pandemics in the elderly is to collect in advance samples & data to counteract chronic inflammation (inflammaging).
Ageing Res Rev
; 62: 101091, 2020 09.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-343168
ABSTRACT
Fighting the current COVID-19 pandemic, we must not forget to prepare for the next. Since elderly and frail people are at high risk, we wish to predict their vulnerability, and intervene if possible. For example, it would take little effort to take additional swabs or dried blood spots. Such minimally-invasive sampling, exemplified here during screening for potential COVID-19 infection, can yield the data to discover biomarkers to better handle this and the next respiratory disease pandemic. Longitudinal outcome data can then be combined with other epidemics and old-age health data, to discover the best biomarkers to predict (i) coping with infection & inflammation and thus hospitalization or intensive care, (ii) long-term health challenges, e.g. deterioration of lung function after intensive care, and (iii) treatment & vaccination response. Further, there are universal triggers of old-age morbidity & mortality, and the elimination of senescent cells improved health in pilot studies in idiopathic lung fibrosis & osteoarthritis patients alike. Biomarker studies are needed to test the hypothesis that resilience of the elderly during a pandemic can be improved by countering chronic inflammation and/or removing senescent cells. Our review suggests that more samples should be taken and saved systematically, following minimum standards, and data be made available, to maximize healthspan & minimize frailty, leading to savings in health care, gains in quality of life, and preparing us better for the next pandemic, all at the same time.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Aging
/
Biomarkers
/
Mass Screening
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Pandemics
/
Inflammation
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
/
Vaccines
Limits:
Aged
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Ageing Res Rev
Journal subject:
Geriatrics
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
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