[Dynamics of geriatric status in older patients under conditions of prolonged hypomobility during the COVID-19 pandemic.].

The COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictive measures introduced during this period had a significant impact on the health status of older adults. In this regard, particular interest is focused on assessing changes in geriatric status, especially the transition from prefrailty to established frailty syndrome under conditions of prolonged physical inactivity and social isolation. The aim of the study was to analyze the dynamics of geriatric status in older patients during prolonged exposure to reduced mobility conditions during lockdown. The study included 525 patients aged 65-74 years residing in residential social care institutions. All participants underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment, including monitoring of somatic parameters (blood pressure, heart rate, and body mass index), handgrip dynamometry, and the six-minute walk test. Examinations were performed at baseline and repeated after 1 and 6 months of follow-up. It was established that marked unfavorable changes in the structure of geriatric status occurred over the six-month observation period. The prevalence of prefrailty decreased from 35,8 to 14,1%, which was associated with the transition of a substantial proportion of patients to the frailty category. At the same time, the prevalence of frailty syndrome increased from 49,5 to 72%. In addition, the number of patients with mild, moderate, and severe frailty increased by 11,6; 6,1 and 4,4%, respectively. The obtained results indicate that prolonged mobility restriction and social isolation are significant factors contributing to deterioration of geriatric status and acceleration of frailty progression. These findings confirm the importance of early identification of prefrailty and timely implementation of preventive and corrective interventions aimed at preserving functional independence in older patients.
Chronic respiratory disease
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Authors

Rukavishnikov Rukavishnikov, Kuzminov Kuzminov, Gorelik Gorelik, Piskunov Piskunov
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