COVID-19 patients with raised blood sugar levels without a previous diagnosis of diabetes perhaps at a high risk of death.

At the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus was observed as the cause of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. It instantly spread thereafter, emerging in an epidemic throughout the world. Understanding of this novel coronavirus is still evolving, and people with the pre-existing illness are more likely to get seriously ill from it. Patients with COVID-19 who have elevated blood sugar levels without a previous diagnosis of diabetes may be at a high risk of death and an increased risk of severe complications from the infectious disease, new research explains.

According to a report of Times of India, recent research from Wuhan, China shows that in patients with COVID-19 but without a previous diagnosis of diabetes, abnormally high blood sugar is associated with more than double the risk of death and also an increased risk of severe complications. The study is by Dr Yang Jin, Union Hospital and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China, and colleagues.

A total of 605 COVID-19 patients were enrolled for this research, including 114 who died in hospital. The median age of participants was 59 years. A total of 208 (34%) had one or more underlying conditions, of which high blood pressure was the most common. Almost one third (29%) of patients fell into the highest category of FBG (Fasting Blood Glucose) with 7.0 mmol/L on admission, which if found consistently would result in a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

A further 17% were in the range that would be considered pre-diabetic (6.1-6.9 mmol/L), while more than half (54%) were in the ‘normal’ FBG range of 6.0 mmol/L or below. The results showed that patients in the highest FBG group were 2.3 times more likely to die than those in the lowest, a statistically significant result. This is the first time scientists have been able to confirm that patients with COVID-19 but without a previous diagnosis of diabetes, are at higher risk of death from COVID-19.

People who are in any kind of circumstances like this must be having the contact information of their health care provider at hand and making sure to have an adequate stock of medications and supplies for monitoring blood glucose at home so that they do not need to leave the house if they become ill. They should also contact their health care provider immediately for advice on how to monitor their blood glucose, get adequate refills for medications and what adjustments they may need to do in their medication or diet.