A study on impact of diabetes on duration of hospital stay and mortality of moderate to severe cases of severe acute respiratory illness /covid-19 in North Karnataka region

Context: As Diabetes is the most common co morbidity reported with covid-19 infection Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus -2 (SARA CoV-2) which brought about the ongoing pandemic gave opportunity to study the impact of diabetes on hospital stay and mortality of diabetic patients who contracted the corona virus infection. Objective: To study the duration of hospital stay and mortality rate of diabetic patients with moderate to severe covid 19 infection/severe acute respiratory illness and compare it with non diabetic patients of same disease. Method: This was a retrospective observational study in which the records of diabetic patients admitted with severe acute respiratory illness, during the ongoing pandemic, in Al Ameen Medical College Hospital were studied and were compared with the non diabetic patients admitted for the same. The duration of stay and mortality was compared statistically. No distinction was made with respect to type 1& 2 diabetes as they were clubbed together in the same group. Results: Mean duration of illness in diabetic group was 8.1 with SD of 6.9 days and in non diabetic group was 8.4 days with SD 6.5(p value= 0.8). Mortality was 32.5% among diabetics and 15.7% in non diabetics (p value= 0.001). Conclusion: Our study shows that the duration of hospital stay and mortality was considerably higher in diabetics than non diabetic counterparts. Therefore due attention should be given by general diabetic population to keep their blood glucose levels under control especially in this period of ongoing covid 19 pandemic.