FBG is an independent risk factor for the mortality of COVID-19.
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Diabetes history was not an independent risk factor for the mortality of COVID-19.
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Screening FBG is an effective method to evaluate the prognosis of COVID-19.
Abstract
Aim
No study elucidated the role of fasting blood glucose (FBG) level in the prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Methods
This cohort study was conducted in a single center at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. Clinical laboratory, and treatment data of inpatients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were collected and analyzed. Outcomes of patients with and without pre-existing diabetes were compared. The associations of diabetes history and/or FBG levels with mortality were analyzed. Multivariate cox regression analysis on the risk factors associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 was performed.
Results
A total of 941 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were enrolled in the study. There was a positive relationship between pre-existing diabetes and the mortality of patients who developed COVID-19 (21 of 123 [17.1%] vs 76 of 818 [9.3%]; P = 0.012). FBG ≥7.0 mmol/L was an independent risk factor for the mortality of COVID-19 regardless of the presence or not of a history of diabetes (hazard ratio, 2.20 [95% CI, 1.21–4.03]; P = 0.010).
Conclusions
We firstly showed FBG ≥7.0 mmol/L predicted worse outcome in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 independent of diabetes history. Our findings indicated screening FBG level is an effective method to evaluate the prognosis of patients with COVID-19.
