New Data Highlight the Need to Be Vigilant for Diabetes Among Patients with COVID-19

Patients with “underlying conditions” are at increased risk for severe disease and poor outcomes if they have COVID-19. That drum has been beaten long and loud. However, new data published in Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews illustrate how great the threat is to patients who have diabetes, in particular. Meta-analysis showed that diabetes was associated with composite poor outcomes (risk ratio = 2.38, 95% confidence interval 1.88-3.03), including mortality (RR 2.12, 95% CI 1.44-3.11); severe COVID-19 (RR 2.45, 95% CI 1.79-3.35), ARDS (RR 4.64, 95% CI 1.86-11.58), and disease progression (RR 3.31, 95% CI 1.08-10.14). Given that some patients first learn they’re diabetic when presenting to urgent care centers for unrelated complaints, and many who know they have diabetes are less than adherent to their treatment regimen, urgent care providers would be well advised to counsel them on this increased risk—both to drive home the importance of adhering to COVID-19 safety precautions and to encourage them to follow their diabetes treatment plans.