Clinical Characteristics of Diabetic Patients with COVID-19

Since December 2019, novel coronavirus- (SARS-CoV-2) infected pneumonia (COVID-19) has rapidly spread throughout China. This study is aimed at describing the characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Wuhan.

199 COVID-19 patients were admitted to Wuhan Red Cross Hospital in China from January 24th to March 15th. The cases were divided into diabetic and nondiabetic groups according to the history of taking antidiabetic drugs or by plasma fasting blood glucose level at admission, and the difference between groups were compared.

Among 199 COVID-19 patients, 76 were diabetic and 123 were nondiabetic. Compared with nondiabetics, patients with diabetes had an older age, high levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), D-dimer, white blood cell, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and total bilirubin (TBIL), lower levels of lymphocyte, albumin and oxygen saturation (SaO₂), and higher mortality (P < 0.05). The two groups showed no difference in clinical symptoms. Diabetes, higher level of D-dimer at admission, and lymphocyte count less than 0.6 × 10⁹/L at admission were associated with increasing odds of death. Antidiabetic drugs were associated with decreasing odds of death. Treatment with low molecular weight heparin was not related to odds of death.

The mortality rate of COVID-19 patients with diabetes was significantly higher than those without diabetes. Diabetes, higher level of D-dimer, and lymphocyte count less than 0.6 × 10⁹/L at admission were the risk factors associated with in-hospital death.