Diabetes and the Covid-19 Pandemic in Iraq

Abstract

The majority of diabetic patients have an enhanced the risk of developing complications and increased the possibility of admission to the (ICU) after infection with COVID-19 due to uncontrolled glycaemia. We aim to find out the relationship between diabetes mellitus and the severity of COVID-19.We compared HbA_1c in infected diabetic patients (IDP) who had been admitted to the ICU with IDP who did not require ICU admission. From the admitteddemographic, laboratory and clinical data from August 2020 to October 2020 was collected,and the correlation between glycemic control and the severity of COVID-19was assessed using the phicoefficient.35 (68.6%) of diabetic patients required ICU treatment, while 16 (31.4%) did not. IDP who needed ICU care had poor glycemic control compared to IDP who did not require ICU care (HbA_1c 8.4% vs. 6.4%, respectively, P < 0.001), and the average blood glucose levels in diabetic patients that required ICU admission weresignificantly higherthan those of IDP that did not require ICU admission [189.9±40.12(mg/dl)vs. 121.31±18, respectively,  P<0.01].Uncontrolled glycemia in IDP predisposes them to COVID-19 infection, and the degree of hyperglycemia in IDP is associated with the severity of the disease.