COVID-19 Presenting With Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Case Series

Ramya S. Gorthi, MD; Ghassan Kamel, MD; Sandeep Dhindsa, MD; Ravi P. Nayak, MD, FCCP

AACE Clinical Case Reports (Jan 2021)

COVID-19 Presenting With Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Case Series

Ramya S. Gorthi, MD,
Ghassan Kamel, MD,
Sandeep Dhindsa, MD,
Ravi P. Nayak, MD, FCCP

Affiliations

Ramya S. Gorthi, MD: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
Ghassan Kamel, MD: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
Sandeep Dhindsa, MD: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
Ravi P. Nayak, MD, FCCP: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri; Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Ravi P. Nayak, Interim Chairman and Professor of Internal Medicine, Director, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Director, Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 12 North FDT, 1402 S, Grand Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63104-1004.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 6 – 9

Abstract

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Objective: Diabetes mellitus has been recognized as one of the comorbidities that predict the severity of illness in patients infected with COVID-19. The characteristics of patients presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and COVID-19 infection have not been described. Methods: We describe 5 patients with DKA and concomitant COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit of an academic medical center. Three patients had type 1 diabetes mellitus, and 2 patients had type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results: While DKA with an infectious etiology is a common presentation, we observed that the patients with DKA precipitated by COVID-19 presented with atypical symptoms. COVID-19 infection was revealed during search for an etiology of DKA. Conclusion: It is prudent to have a low threshold to screen for COVID-19 infection in patients with DKA.

Published in AACE Clinical Case Reports

ISSN: 2376-0605 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Diseases of the endocrine glands. Clinical endocrinology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/aace-clinical-case-reports

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Abstract

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