Insight into role of aging in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection
Older adults and those with underlying medical conditions are at a higher risk of developing severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the illness caused by the infectious agent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Previous studies have shown that older people are at a higher risk of COVID-19 because of physiological changes that come with aging and potential comorbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, and heart problems.
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine set out to determine the differences between young people and older adults regarding their host responses against SARS-CoV-2. The team revealed that independent of disease severity, COVID-19 was linked to a significant shift in plasma inflammatory factors. The research is posted to the pre-print server