The first study of patients with COVID-19 and concomitant diabetes showed that every tenth patient dies within seven days after hospitalization and every fifth needs mechanical ventilation.
The study showed that two-thirds (65%) of the 19 patients with diabetes admitted to the hospital are men, and the average age of all patients is 70 years. Worsening blood sugar control does not appear to affect outcomes, but diabetic complications, high BMI, and age increase the risk of mortality.
During the study, French scientists from the University of Nantes analyzed 1317 patients admitted to 53 hospitals from March 10 to March 31, 2020. Most hospitalized patients had type 2 diabetes (89%), while only 3% had type 1 diabetes.
In 3% of cases, diabetes mellitus was actually diagnosed during hospitalization for COVID-19 infection. Microvascular complications (eyes, kidneys, and nervous system) were detected in 47% of the examined patients, while macrovascular complications (arteries of the heart, brain, legs) were present in 41% of the examined patients.
Of all patients, by the seventh day of hospital stay, every fifth (20.3%) was intubated and placed on a ventilator in the intensive care unit, and every tenth (10.3%) died. Another 18% were discharged home at that moment.
The presence of microvascular or macrovascular complications doubled the risk of death on the seventh day. Old age also significantly increased the risk of death. The study also confirmed that insulin, as well as all treatments for changing blood sugar, are not a risk factor for severe forms of COVID-19 and should be continued in patients with diabetes.
It is encouraging that there were no deaths in patients under the age of 65 with type I diabetes, but the authors emphasize that only 39 patients with this disease participated in this study.
An increase in BMI increased the risk of ventilation or death on the seventh day.
Frisk actors the development of severe COVID-19 are identical to those found in general population: age and BMI. Elderly people with long-term diabetes and progressive complications are especially at risk for early death, – the researchers write.
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