Characteristics, Mortality, and Clinical Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 and Diabetes: A Reference Single-Center Cohort Study from Poland

Michał Kania; Konrad Mazur; Michał Terlecki; Bartłomiej Matejko; Jerzy Hohendorff; Zlata Chaykivska; Mateusz Fiema; Marianna Kopka; Małgorzata Kostrzycka; Magdalena Wilk; Tomasz Klupa; Przemysław Witek; Barbara Katra; Marek Klocek; Marek Rajzer; Maciej T Malecki

doi:10.1155/2023/8700302

Characteristics, Mortality, and Clinical Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 and Diabetes: A Reference Single-Center Cohort Study from Poland

Int J Endocrinol. 2023 Feb 16:2023:8700302. doi: 10.1155/2023/8700302. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Michał Kania^{1

2}, Konrad Mazur², Michał Terlecki^{2

3}, Bartłomiej Matejko^{1

2}, Jerzy Hohendorff^{1

2}, Zlata Chaykivska², Mateusz Fiema², Marianna Kopka², Małgorzata Kostrzycka², Magdalena Wilk^{1

2}, Tomasz Klupa^{1

2}, Przemysław Witek^{1

2}, Barbara Katra^{1

2}, Marek Klocek^{2

3}, Marek Rajzer^{2

3}, Maciej T Malecki^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Metabolic Diseases and Diabetology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
² University Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.
³ Department of Cardiology, Interventional Electrocardiology and Arterial Hypertension, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.

Abstract

Background: Diabetes is a risk factor for a severe course of COVID-19. We evaluated the characteristics and risk factors associated with undesirable outcomes in diabetic patients (DPs) hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Materials and methods: The data analysis of patients admitted between March 6, 2020, and May 31, 2021, to the University Hospital in Krakow (Poland), a reference center for COVID-19, was performed. The data were gathered from their medical records.

Results: A total number of 5191 patients were included, of which 2348 (45.2%) were women. The patients were at the median age of 64 (IQR: 51-74) years, and 1364 (26.3%) were DPs. DPs, compared to nondiabetics, were older (median age: 70 years, IQR: 62-77 vs. 62, IQR: 47-72, and p < 0.001) and had a similar gender distribution. The DP group had a higher mortality rate (26.2% vs. 15.7%, p < 0.001) and longer hospital stays (median: 15 days, IQR: 10-24 vs. 13, IQR: 9-20, and p < 0.001). DPs were admitted to the ICU more frequently (15.7% vs. 11.0%, p < 0.001) and required mechanical ventilation more often (15.5% vs. 11.3%, p < 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression, factors associated with a higher risk of death were age >65 years, glycaemia >10 mmol/L, CRP and D-dimer level, prehospital insulin and loop diuretic use, presence of heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. Factors contributing to lower mortality were in-hospital use of statin, thiazide diuretic, and calcium channel blocker.

Conclusion: In this large COVID-19 cohort, DPs constituted more than a quarter of hospitalized patients. The risk of death and other outcomes compared to nondiabetics was higher in this group. We identified a number of clinical, laboratory, and therapeutic variables associated with the risk of hospital death in DPs.