Age modifies both the maximal temperature and inflammatory response in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection

Crooks, Colin J; West, Joe; Morling, Joanne R; Simmonds, Mark; Juurlink, Irene; Briggs, Steve; Cruickshank, Simon; Hammond-Pears, Susan; Shaw, Dominick; Card, Timothy R; Fogarty, Andrew

Abstract

Objective To determine the maximal response of the temperature and inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and how these are modified by age.

Methods Participants were patients admitted to hospital with SARS-CoV-2 infection. For each participant, the maximal temperature and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) were identified and stratified by age. In a secondary analysis, these were compared in patients treated before and after dexamethasone.

Results Mean maximal temperature varied by age (p<0.001; ANOVA) with the highest mean maximal temperature of 37.3°C observed in patients aged 30–49 years and decreasing maximal mean temperatures in the older age groups, with the lowest measure of 36.8°C observed in individuals aged 90–99 years. The mean maximal serum CRP also varied across age groups (p<0.001; ANOVA) and increased with age across all age categories from 34.5 mg/dL (95% confidence interval (CI) 22.0–47.0) for individuals aged 20–29 years to 77.6 mg/dL (95% CI 72.0–83.2) in those aged 80–89 years. After dexamethasone became standard treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia, mean maximal CRP decreased by 17 mg/dL (95% CI −22 to −11).

Conclusion Age modifies both maximal temperature and systemic inflammatory response in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 6, 2022
• Online Publication Date: May 18, 2022
• Publication Date: 2022-05
• Deposit Date: Mar 4, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: May 31, 2022
• Journal: Clinical Medicine
• Print ISSN: 1470-2118
• Electronic ISSN: 1473-4893
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 22
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 192-196
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmed.2021-0603
• Keywords: Covid-19 infection; temperature; CRP; systemic inflammation; corticosteroids
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/7537118
• Publisher URL: https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/22/3/192