Admission hyperglycaemia as a predictor of mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 regardless of diabetes status: data from the Spanish SEMI-COVID-19 Registry

Abstract

AbstractBackground Hyperglycaemia has emerged as an important risk factor for death in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between blood glucose (BG) levels and in-hospital mortality in non-critically patients hospitalized with COVID-19.Methods This is a retrospective multi-centre study involving patients hospitalized in Spain. Patients were categorized into three groups according to admission BG levels: 180 mg/dL. The primary endpoint was all-cause in-hospital mortality.Results Of the 11,312 patients, only 2128 (18.9%) had diabetes and 2289 (20.4%) died during hospitalization. The in-hospital mortality rates were 15.7% (180 mg/dL), p180 mg/dL: HR 1.50; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.31–1.73) (BG 140–180 mg/dL; HR 1.48; 95%CI: 1.29–1.70). Hyperglycaemia was also associated with requirement for mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality.Conclusions Admission hyperglycaemia is a strong predictor of all-cause mortality in non-critically hospitalized COVID-19 patients regardless of prior history of diabetes.KEY MESSAGEAdmission hyperglycaemia is a stronger and independent risk factor for mortality in COVID-19.Screening for hyperglycaemia, in patients without diabetes, and early treatment of hyperglycaemia should be mandatory in the management of patients hospitalized with COVID-19.Admission hyperglycaemia should not be overlooked in all patients regardless prior history of diabetes.

Keywords

• SARS-CoV-2
• COVID-19
• hyperglycaemia
• mortality
• diabetes