Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => COVID-19 => Topic started by: nudephil on 09/04/2020 10:32:34
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Rod had this question for us:
The thing that seems to be really serious for the elderly is the risk of a cytokine storm, where the immune system runs amok producing widespread inflammation, and which could be fatal.
And yet the elderly are said to have impaired immune response, so it seems to me that the strength of their immune response is not much impaired, but its targeting is.
What can be done about this? Anything?
Who can help?
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There is a lot of misinformation about the cytokine storm. It's like a virus itself, first its name attracts the imagination where it is incubated. In suseptible individuals this can lead to the dreaded verbal diarrhea. Sorry I can't be of help.
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For most people, the best way to avoid it is to stay at home.
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And yet the elderly are said to have impaired immune response, so it seems to me that the strength of their immune response is not much impaired, but its targeting is.
There are a lot of factors in elderly response to infection.
Although the immune system is generally less responsive, anything which attacks the lungs comes across tissue which has aged and is less flexible, less able to transfer gases, and the cilia are less responsive so less able to clear mucus. There is a reason why pneumonia used to be called the old man’s friend.
Add to this a generally sedentary life style and the heart is less able to pump efficiently and the breathing muscles are likely to tire faster.
What would be interesting would be some data on whether a majority of older victims reach the cytokine storm stage.