Diabetes Triples COVID-19 Severity: A Prospective Analysis

What is it about?

The study aimed to quantify and contextualize the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and illness severity in patients with type 1 diabetes. The study found that patients with type 1 diabetes had a 3.9 times higher adjusted odds ratio for hospitalization and a 3.35 times higher adjusted odds ratio for greater illness severity compared to those without diabetes. The study also found that factors such as glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), hypertension, race, recent diabetic ketoacidosis, health insurance status, and less diabetes technology use were significantly associated with illness severity in patients with type 1 diabetes. The study highlights the need to mitigate the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the type 1 diabetes community.

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Why is it important?

This research is important because it quantifies and contextualizes the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and illness severity in type 1 diabetes. The study identifies clinical factors influencing illness severity and finds that diabetes status, both type 1 and type 2, increases the adverse impacts of COVID-19. These findings can help the medical community to better understand the risks associated with COVID-19 in the type 1 diabetes community and develop strategies to mitigate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection risk in this community. Key Takeaways: 1. The odds of COVID-19-related hospitalization and greater illness severity for patients with type 1 diabetes are three to four times higher than for patients without diabetes. 2. The increased risk of hospitalization and greater illness severity is approximately the same for patients with type 2 diabetes. 3. COVID-19 outcome severity in type 1 diabetes is associated with glycemic, vascular, and socioeconomic risk factors. 4. The increased risk for COVID-19-related hospitalization remains markedly higher for people with type 1 diabetes until the seventh decade of life. 5. Modifiable factors such as glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), hypertension, race, recent diabetic ketoacidosis, health insurance status, and less diabetes technology use were significantly associated with illness severity.