Age differences in clinical features and outcomes in patients with COVID-19, Jiangsu, China: a retrospective, multicentre cohort study.

Objectives To determine the age-specific clinical presentations and incidence of adverse outcomes among patients with COVID-19 in Jiangsu, China. Design and setting Retrospective, multicentre cohort study performed at 24 hospitals in Jiangsu, China. Participants 625 patients with COVID-19 enrolled between 10 January and 15 March 2020. Results Of the 625 patients (median age, 46 years; 329 (52.6%) men), 37 (5.9%) were children (18 years or younger), 261 (41.8%) young adults (19-44 years), 248 (39.7%) middle-aged adults (45-64 years) and 79 (12.6%) elderly adults (65 years or older). The incidence of hypertension, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes comorbidities increased with age (trend test, p Conclusions Elderly (≥65 years) patients with COVID-19 had the highest risk of severe or critical illness, intensive care use, respiratory failure and the longest hospital stay, which may be due partly to their having a higher incidence of comorbidities and poor immune responses to COVID-19.