Authors: Justin M. Gregory, James C. Slaughter, Sara H. Duffus, T. Jordan Smith, Lauren M. LeStourgeon, Sarah S. Jaser, Allison B. McCoy, James M. Luther, Erin R. Giovannetti, Schafer Boeder, Jeremy H. Pettus, Daniel J. Moore
Summary: Objective: To quantify and contextualize the risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–related hospitalization and illness severity in type 1 diabetes.
Research Design and Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study to identify case subjects with COVID-19 across a regional health care network of 137 service locations. Using an electronic health record query, chart review, and patient contact, we identified clinical factors influencing illness severity.
Results: We identified COVID-19 in 6,138, 40, and 273 patients without diabetes and with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively. Compared with not having diabetes, people with type 1 diabetes had adjusted odds ratios of 3.90 (95% CI 1.75–8.69) for hospitalization and 3.35 (95% CI 1.53–7.33) for greater illness severity, which was similar to risk in type 2 diabetes. Among patients with type 1 diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), hypertension, race, recent diabetic ketoacidosis, health insurance status, and less diabetes technology use were significantly associated with illness severity.
Conclusions: Diabetes status, both type 1 and type 2, independently increases the adverse impacts of COVID-19. Potentially modifiable factors (e.g., HbA1c) had significant but modest impact compared with comparatively static factors (e.g., race and insurance) in type 1 diabetes, indicating an urgent and continued need to mitigate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection risk in this community.
Source: Diabetes Care, 2020; dc202260