Effects of poor glycemic control on mortality and severity of COVID-19 disease.

OBJECTIVE

Most patients with a severe COVID-19 infection have underlying diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, and diabetes, and the mortality rate in these patients is higher than in other patients. Reasonable glycemic control is a practical approach to prevent the progression of COVID-19 in patients with diabetes. In this study, we aimed at demonstrating that glycemic control status can be used as a biomarker in predicting the severity of the disease in the early period in diabetic patients with COVID-19.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Our retrospective study consisted of 122 patients who referred to Sinop Ayancik State Hospital between April 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021. 40 diabetic patients with poor glycemic control (HbA1C above 7), 40 diabetic patients with reasonable glycemic control (HgA1c below 7), and 42 patients without diabetes were included in the study. The patients' data included in the study were obtained by scanning the retrospective files. These patients' demographic characteristics, clinical features, age, gender, length of stay, hemogram, biochemical, hormonal parameters, HgA1c levels, and atherogenic indexes were calculated and recorded. Study groups were compared in terms of disease severity and mortality.

RESULTS

A statistically significant difference was found between mild/severe conditions (p-value < 0.001). 72.5% of those with poor glycemic control, 57.5% of those with reasonable glycemic control, and 26.2% without diabetes had severe diseases. Also, a statistically significant difference was found between the distributions of death rate (p = 0.008). 17.5% of those with poor glycemic control, 5% of those with reasonable glycemic control, and 0% of patients without diabetes died.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that poor glycemic control was an effective indicator of disease severity and mortality in patients with COVID-19 and could predict disease progression and mortality.