COVID-19 patients with increasing age experience differential time to initial medical care and severity of symptoms

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>We conducted a retrospective observational study in patients with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) who received medical care in 688 COVID-19 ambulatory units and hospitals in Mexico City between 24 February 2020 and 24 December 2020, to study if the elderly seek medical care later than younger patients and their severity of symptoms at initial medical evaluation. Patients were categorised into eight groups (<20, 20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70–79 and ≥80 years). Symptoms at initial evaluation were classified according to a previously validated classification into respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms. Comparisons between time from symptom onset to medical care for every age category were performed through variance analyses. Logistic regression models were applied to determine the risk of presenting symptoms of severity according to age, and mortality risk according to delays in medical care. In total, 286 020 patients were included (mean age: 42.8, <jats:sc>s.d.</jats:sc>: 16.8 years; 50.4% were women). Mean time from symptom onset to medical care was 4.04 (<jats:sc>s.d.</jats:sc>: 3.6) days and increased with older age categories (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0.0001). Mortality risk increased by 6.4% for each day of delay in medical care from symptom onset. The risk of presenting with the symptoms of severity was greater with increasing age categories. In conclusion, COVID-19 patients with increasing ages tend to seek medical care later, with higher rates of symptoms of severity at initial presentation in both ambulatory units and hospitals.</jats:p>