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Published on: June 11, 2012

Effect of Baseline HbA1c and Inpatient Glycemic Control on Mortality and Organ Dysfunction among Patients with

Mari Des San Juan1, Jennifer Lourdes Ng2, John Paul Martin Bagos3

  • 1Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, The Medical City, Pasig City, Philippines.

Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies
|June 18, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Diabetes patients with COVID-19 face higher risks. Poor glycemic control, both baseline and inpatient, correlates with severe COVID-19, but COVID-19 severity is the primary driver of poor outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology and Diabetes
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases susceptibility to COVID-19, leading to severe disease and mortality.
  • Glycemic control is a critical factor in managing diabetes complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of glycemic-related factors on COVID-19 outcomes in hospitalized patients with DM.
  • To determine the association between baseline and inpatient glycemic control and composite poor clinical outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Multicenter retrospective cohort study involving 1,093 patients with DM hospitalized for COVID-19.
  • Analysis of baseline glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and inpatient capillary blood glucose levels.
  • Univariable and multivariable analyses to assess associations with mortality and end-organ dysfunction.

Main Results:

  • Poor baseline glycemic control (HbA1c >7%) and poor inpatient glycemic control were associated with increased odds of critical COVID-19.
  • Both poor glycemic controls were linked to composite poor clinical outcomes, but significance was lost after adjusting for COVID-19 severity and comorbidities.
  • COVID-19 severity emerged as the strongest predictor of composite poor clinical outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • COVID-19 severity is the primary determinant of poor clinical outcomes in diabetic patients.
  • While poor glycemic control is linked to more severe COVID-19, it does not directly impact clinical outcomes independently.
  • Optimizing long-term and inpatient glycemic control is recommended to mitigate severe COVID-19 and improve survival.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19diabetes mellitusglycemic controlmortality

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