Delirium: 'A Common but Often Missed Coronavirus Symptom' in Seniors

A study in Age and Aging from scientists at St. Vincent's University Hospital found that delirium is a common yet frequently overlooked symptom among seniors hospitalized with the coronavirus, reports Yahoo! Sports . Early findings suggested between 20 percent and 30 percent of all people with coronavirus develop delirium or a change to their mental status while in hospital, increasing to 60 percent to 70 percent in particularly severe cases. Surprisingly, older people consistently develop telltale coronavirus symptoms like fever, while University of Nottingham Professor Adam Gordon said "atypical symptoms are the only symptoms in around a third of elderly patients." Researchers at Imperial College London looked at 394 residents and 70 staff from four nursing communities affected by the coronavirus in central London, and reported in the Journal of Infection that 40 percent of the residents tested positive, of whom just 18 percent exhibited atypical symptoms only. Anorexia and "confused or altered behavior" were statistically significant symptoms among residents. Infections are a common cause of delirium overall, as is a change in environment or reduced oxygen levels in the blood. "It can present in any patient, of any age, and is quite common post-operatively," said Gordon.