Interest of searching diabetes at the first visit in a population with SARS COV2

Introduction: There is a bidirectional relationship between Covid-19 and diabetes. First, diabetes is associated with an increased risk of severe Covid-19. Second, severe metabolic complications of pre-existing diabetes have been observed in patients with Covid-19. Methods: A retrospective and comparative study including 100 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS COV2 infection and hospitalized in the isolation unit in the hospital of Gabes, Tunisia. The period of study was between July 2020 and October 2020. We divided the population into group1 (G1) including 37 diabetic patients and G2 including 67 non diabetic ones. Results: The mean age of our population was 65 years, it was 67 years old in G1 (p=0,13). Cardiovascular pathologies were the predominant comorbidities (47%) in G1 (p=0,13). We found metabolic syndrome in 12% in G1 (p=0,004). Chronic complications of diabetes were found in 13 cases. Hyperglycemia was found in 10 patients in G2 (p=0,001). Dyspnea was the major symptom in 78% (p=0,09). Diabetic ketosis was found in 8 cases (G1). Severe pneumonia interested 57% (G1) vs 52% (G2) (p=0,05), intensive care unit was indicated in 11% (G1) vs 7% (G2) (p=0,34). Orotracheal intubation was in 2 cases (G1) vs 1 (G2) (p=0,3). Diabetes and CRP were correlated (p=0,01), also creatinine was correlated to diabetes (p=0,02). CT scan was performed in 72% of the population showed the predominance of ground glass opacity (100%) which was diffuse in 70% of cases in G1 (p=0,037). Mortality was high reaching 27% (G1) vs 25% (G2) (p=0,51). Conclusion: Diabetes is associated with increased incidence and severity of COVID-19. It is important to control blood glucose in patients who are infected with COVID-19.