Clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 infected diabetic patients admitted in ICUs of the southern region of Bangladesh. Issue 1 (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Saha, Ayan; Ahsan, Mohammed Moinul; Quader, Md. Tarek-Ul; Naher, Sabekun; Akter, Farhana; Mehedi, H.M. Hamidullah; Ullah Chowdhury, ASM Arman; Karim, Md. Hasanul; Rahman, Tazrina; Parvin, Ayesha
• Is Part Of: Diabetes & metabolic syndrome. Volume 15:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 229
• Page End: 235
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Bangladesh -- COVID-19 -- Diabetes mellitus -- Epidemiology -- Clinical characteristics; Diabetes -- Periodicals; Metabolism -- Disorders -- Periodicals; Diabetes Mellitus -- Periodicals; Metabolic Diseases -- Periodicals; Diabète -- Périodiques; Métabolisme, Troubles du -- Périodiques; Endocrinologie -- Périodiques; Diabète -- Physiopathologie -- Périodiques; Diabetes; Metabolism -- Disorders; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.462
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2020.12.037
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1871-4021

Abstract

Abstract: Background and aims: Diabetes mellitus is highly prevalent among critical cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with poor outcomes. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with diabetes, admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the southern region of Bangladesh. Methods: Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, treatments, complications, and clinical outcomes data were extracted from electronic medical records of 168 COVID-19 patients admitted into ICU of two COVID-19 dedicated hospitals of Chattogram, Bangladesh and compared between diabetes (n = 88) and non-diabetes (n = 80) groups. Results: The prevalence of diabetes was high among 51–70 years old patients. All the diabetic patients had at least one other comorbidity, with a significantly higher incidence of hypertension (53.4% vs 27.5%, P < 0.05). Prevalence of male patients (74/88; 84.1%) was slightly higher among diabetic patients than the non-diabetic patients (60/80; 75%). Even though not significant, Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that COVID-19 patients with diabetes had a shorter overall survival time than those without diabetes. In subgroup analysis, diabetic patients were classified into insulin-requiring and non-insulin-requiring groups based on their requirement of insulin during the stay in ICU. COVID-19 infected diabetic patients requiring insulin have high risk of disease progression and shorter survival time than the non-insulin required group. Conclusions: Diabetes is an independent risk factor for the poor prognosis of COVID-19. More attention should be paid to the prevention and prompt treatment of diabetic patients, to maintain good glycaemic control especially those who require insulin therapy. Highlights: Among the ICU in-patients with COVID-19, the 51–60 years cohort constituted the major proportion of the study sample. Hypertension was present in more than half the hospitalized patients with diabetes and COVID-19 pneumonia. Prognosis of COVID-19 was worse in the insulin requiring diabetic in-patients than the non-insulin requiring group.