Unmasking of Pre-Existent Hyperglycemia and its Association with Ventilation in COVID-19 Patients: Experience at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship between pre-existent hyperglycemia among patients with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring oxygen supplementation.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: COVID-19 isolation wards, High Dependency Units, and Intensive Care Units of Mayo Hospital Lahore Pakistan, from Apr to May 2021.

Methodology: Eighty-one patients with hyperglycemia but without a prior diagnosis of diabetes mellitus were selected for this study. The data was collected from COVID PCR positive patients admitted to the isolation ward and intensive care unit at Mayo Hospital, Lahore. All the patients admitted during a 2-month duration from April to May 2021.

Results: A Total of 81 patients were included, of which 54(66.7%) were males. On the basis of HbA1c, 68(84%), 12(14.8%) and 1 (1.2%) patient(s) were diagnosed diabetic, pre-diabetic and non-diabetic respectively. Of the four patients requiring mechanical ventilation, 3(75%) were diabetic, and 1(25%) was pre-diabetic. Of patients who required non-invasive ventilation, 68(84.4%), 12(14.2%) and 1(1.3%) were diabetic, pre-diabetic and non-diabetic, respectively.

Conclusion: There is a significant burden of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and pre-diabetes among patients with severe COVID-19 who require oxygen supplementation or admission to high-dependency units. Therefore, all patients should undergo thorough testing to exclude underlying diabetes mellitus.