# Hyperglycemia, diabetes, and de novo diabetes in patients hospitalized in intensive care units for COVID-19 in Colombia: Results from a longitudinal cohort study

## TL;DR

This study examines the incidence of hyperglycemia and new diabetes cases in critically ill COVID-19 patients in Colombia and finds no link to higher mortality.

## Contribution

The study reports a high incidence of de novo diabetes in critically ill COVID-19 patients but finds no association with mortality.

## Key findings

- 12.2% of patients developed de novo diabetes during hospitalization.
- Hyperglycemia, history of diabetes, and new diabetes were not linked to higher mortality.
- Glycated hemoglobin and glucose levels had low predictive value for 60-day mortality.

## Abstract

Hyperglycemia and diabetes have been identified as risk factors for severe COVID-19 and death, with a high rate of reported de novo diabetes. We evaluated their incidence and relationship with adverse outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Prospective single-center longitudinal cohort study in adults hospitalized in intensive care units for confirmed COVID-19. ROC curves for serum glucose and glycated hemoglobin were plotted in relation to 60-day mortality. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the association of diabetes and de novo diabetes with 60-day mortality.

547 patients were included, with a mean age of 59.8 years; 133 (24.3%) had a history of diabetes, and 67 (12.2%) had de novo diabetes. At 60 days, 317 (57.9%) had died. For mortality, the AUC for glucose at admission was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.48 – 0.62) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.41 – 0.62) for glycated hemoglobin. In the Cox model, diabetes had an HR of 0.888 (95% CI: 0.695 – 1.135, p: 0.344), history of DM had an HR of 0.881 (95% CI: 0.668 – 1.163, p: 0.371), and de novo diabetes had an HR of 0.963 (95% CI: 0.672 – 1.378, p: 0.835).

There was a high incidence of de novo diabetes in patients hospitalized in intensive care for COVID-19. Neither hyperglycemia, history of diabetes, nor de novo diabetes were associated with the development of complications or 60-day mortality.