Objectives: COVID-19 exacerbates the long-standing, low-grade chronic inflammation observed in diabetes leading to heightened insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Mortality increases with hyperglycemia and poor glycemic variability, hence, this study aims to identify the predictors associated with poor glycemic control and increased glucose variability among patients with COVID-19 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Methodology: A retrospective chart review of 109 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 and T2DM admitted from March 2020 to June 2021 was done. Logistic regression was done to determine predictors for hyperglycemia and poor variability. Results: Of the 109 patients, 78% had hyperglycemia and poor variability and 22% had no poor outcomes. Chronic kidney disease (eOR 2.83, CI [1.07-7.46], p=0.035) was associated with increased glycemic variability. In contrast, increasing eGFR level (eOR 0.97, CI [0.96-0.99], p=0.004) was associated with less likelihood of increased variability. Hs-CRP (eOR 1.01, CI [1.00-1.01], p=0.011), HbA1c (eOR 1.86, CI [1.23-2.82], p=0.003), severe COVID-19 (eOR 8.91, CI [1.77-44.94], p=0.008) and critical COVID-19 (eOR 4.42, CI [1.65-11.75], p=0.003) were associated with hyperglycemia. Steroid use (eOR 71.17, CI [8.53-593.54], p<0.001) showed the strongest association with hyperglycemia. Conclusion Potential clinical, laboratory and inflammatory profiles were identified as predictors for poor glycemic control and variability outcomes. HbA1c, hs-CRP, and COVID-19 severity are predictors of hyperglycemia. Likewise, chronic kidney disease is a predictor of increased glycemic variability.
COVID-19 ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Hyperglycemia ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND

Patients with diabetes are vulnerable and highly susceptible to contracting COVID-19. Stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) may provide prognostic information in hospitalized patients. It is debatable whether stress hyperglycemia directly leads to poor outcomes, or is simply a marker of increased stress and inflammation.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates whether high SHR is associated with poor clinical outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and moderate to critical COVID-19 infection. Moreover, this study aims to compare high SHR versus absolute hyperglycemia as a predictor of poor outcomes.

METHODOLOGY

A chart review was conducted on 146 COVID-19 patients with T2DM from March 2020 to December 2021. The area under the receiver operating curve was conducted to categorize SHR into low and high levels. The association of high SHR levels and absolute hyperglycemia with outcomes was analyzed using the regression analysis. Survival analysis was also utilized to allow differences in the time when in-hospital mortality occurred.

RESULT

Patients with high SHR had a significantly higher proportion of mortality and invasive ventilation compared to those with low SHR. High SHR significantly increased the likelihood of invasive ventilation by 16.49 times and mortality hazards by 5.70 times compared to low SHR. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that those with high SHR had significantly lower survival rates than those with low SHR. In contrast, the survival estimates between those with and without absolute hyperglycemia were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

High SHR (>1.082) was associated with poorer outcomes, increased invasive mechanical ventilatory support and increased mortality.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Covid-19