RESUMEN
Background: Cognitive deficits are commonly reported after COVID-19 recovery, but little is known in the older population. This study aims to investigate possible cognitive damage in older adults 6 months after contracting COVID-19, as well as individual risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 70 participants aged 60-78 with COVID-19 6 months prior and 153 healthy controls. Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) screened for cognitive impairment; Geriatric Depression Scale and Geriatric Anxiety Inventory screened for depression and anxiety. Data were collected on demographics and self-reports of comorbid conditions. Results: The mean age of participants was 66.97 ± 4.64 years. A higher proportion of individuals in the COVID group complained about cognitive deficits (χ2 = 3.574; p = 0.029) and presented with deficient MoCA-B scores (χ2 = 6.098, p = 0.014) compared to controls. After controlling for multiple variables, all the following factors resulted in greater odds of a deficient MoCA-B: COVID-19 6-months prior (OR, 2.44; p = 0.018), age (OR, 1.15; p < 0.001), lower income (OR, 0.36; p = 0.070), and overweight (OR, 2.83; p = 0.013). Further analysis pointed to individual characteristics in COVID-19-affected patients that could explain the severity of the cognitive decline: age (p = 0.015), lower income (p < 0.001), anxiety (p = 0.049), ageusia (p = 0.054), overweight (p < 0.001), and absence of cognitively stimulating activities (p = 0.062). Conclusion: Our study highlights a profile of cognitive risk aggravation over aging after COVID-19 infection, which is likely mitigated by wealth but worsened in the presence of overweight. Ageusia at the time of acute COVID-19, anxiety, being overweight, and absence of routine intellectual activities are risk factors for more prominent cognitive decline among those infected by COVID-19.
RESUMEN
Introduction: Sleep problems are one of the most persistent symptoms of post-COVID syndrome in adults. However, most recent research on sleep quality has relied on the impact of the pandemic, with scarcely any data for older adults on the long-term consequences of COVID infection. This study aims to understand whether older individuals present persistently impaired sleep quality after COVID-19 infection and possible moderators for this outcome. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of a longitudinal cohort study with 70 elders with 6-month-previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and 153 controls. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess sleep quality; Geriatric Depression Scale and Geriatric Anxiety Inventory for screening depression and anxiety. Demographics and comorbid conditions were collected. Results: The mean age of participants was 66,97 ± 4,64 years. There were no statistical differences in depression and anxiety between groups. Poor sleep quality was found in 52,9% and 43,8% of the COVID and control groups (p=.208). After controlling for multiple variables, all the following factors resulted in greater chances of poor sleep quality: female gender (OR, 2.12; p=.027), memory complaints (OR, 2.49; p=.074), insomnia (OR, 3.66; p=.032), anxiety (OR, 5.46; p<.001), depression (OR, 7.26; p=.001), joint disease (OR, 1.80; p=.050), glucose intolerance (OR, 2.20; p=.045), psychoactive drugs (OR, 8.36; p<.001), diuretics (OR, 2.46; p=.034), and polypharmacy (OR, 2.84; p=.016). Conclusion: Psychosocial burden in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and pre-existing conditions seems to influence the sleep quality of older adults more than SARS-CoV-2 infection.
