COVID-19 patients aged ≥55 yr had a lower BMI (29.4 vs 32.7), a higher rate of non-survivors (62% vs 28%), a significantly increased rate of cardiovascular (P=0.0156) and respiratory (P=0.0297) disease, and significantly higher concentrations of IL-6 (P=0.0314) than COVID-19 patients aged ≤55 yr (Table 5). This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and glycogen storage disease VI.