Abstract
Objectives: To compare risk factors and clinical outcomes among COVID-19 patients with or without diabetes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Methods: Data of 350 COVID-19 positive patients, admitted to Al Kuwait Hospital in Dubai, UAE, from February to May 2020 was collected retrospectively, including demographic data, clinical symptoms, blood tests, as well as radiographical assessments, and clinical outcomes of COVID-19. The design of the study is a retrospective cohort study.
Results: COVID-19 patients with diabetes belong to an older age group, had a higher percentage of male patients, exhibited more lymphopenia and neutrophilia, and higher ferritin levels. Additionally, patients with diabetes presented fever and shortness of breath (SOB), displayed more bilateral airspace consolidation and opacities in their chest x-ray and CT scans, compared to non-diabetics. A higher percentage of critical, ICU-admitted, and death of COVID-19 cases in the diabetic group was also reported. This was along with a concomitant increase in C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels.
Conclusions: Diabetes is considered a comorbidity as diabetic patients showed more severe COVID-19 symptoms that led to critical clinical outcomes such as ICU admission and death.
Footnotes
Disclosure. Authors have no conflict of interests, and the work was not supported or funded by any drug company. Dr. Fahda Alokaily is a member of the Editorial Team, and was therefore excluded from any final editorial decisions regarding this paper.
- Received December 23, 2020.
- Accepted January 12, 2021.
- Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal
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