Risk factors associated with the progression of COVID-19 in elderly diabetes patients

To describe the clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with the progression of COVID-19 in elderly diabetes patients.

This was a retrospective cohort study, including elderly COVID-19 patients admitted to Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital between February 10 and 13, 2020. Demographic data, medical history, signs and symptoms, and laboratory parameters were collected and analysed.

We included 131 elderly COVID-19 patients (50 patients with diabetes). COVID-19 diabetes patients experienced more severe pneumonia and abnormal organ functions than non-diabetes patients (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Most function indicators were significantly different between the mild to moderate and severely ill groups in diabetes patients (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Python analysis confirmed diabetes was the independent risk factor of COVID-19 progression in elderly patients. All blood glucose (BG) indices went into the risk factor equation. The cut-off values of COVID-19 progression were BG value on admission > 8.0 mmol/L or maximum BG value > 12.0 mmol/L in all elderly patients, and BG value on admission > 5.1 mmol/L or maximum BG value > 5.4 mmol/L in non-diabetes patients.

Diabetes is an independent important risk factor, and glucose levels associate closely with COVID-19 progression in elderly patients.