# Diabetes Mellitus Is an Independent Predictor of Short-Term Mortality in Critically Ill ICU Patients

## TL;DR

Diabetes increases short-term death risk in ICU patients, even after adjusting for other factors, suggesting it should be considered in early risk assessments.

## Contribution

This study identifies diabetes mellitus as an independent predictor of ICU mortality, contributing to improved risk stratification strategies.

## Key findings

- Diabetes mellitus was present in 32.4% of ICU patients and linked to higher mortality.
- Diabetes remained an independent predictor of ICU death after adjusting for confounders like age and sepsis.

## Abstract

What are the main findings?
Diabetes mellitus was present in nearly one-third of critically ill ICU patients and was associated with significantly higher short-term mortality.After adjustment for major clinical confounders, diabetes mellitus remained an independent predictor of ICU mortality.

Diabetes mellitus was present in nearly one-third of critically ill ICU patients and was associated with significantly higher short-term mortality.

After adjustment for major clinical confounders, diabetes mellitus remained an independent predictor of ICU mortality.

What are the implications of the main findings?
Diabetes status should be considered an important prognostic factor during early ICU risk assessment.Critically ill patients with diabetes may benefit from closer monitoring and individualized management strategies in intensive care settings.

Diabetes status should be considered an important prognostic factor during early ICU risk assessment.

Critically ill patients with diabetes may benefit from closer monitoring and individualized management strategies in intensive care settings.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is frequently encountered in critically ill patients and has been associated with poor outcomes. However, its independent impact on short-term mortality in heterogeneous ICU populations remains unclear. Objectives: To evaluate whether diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for intensive care unit (ICU) mortality in critically ill adult patients. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective observational study including adult patients admitted to the ICU between January and December 2024. Patients were stratified according to the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus. Demographic data, major clinical variables, and ICU outcomes were analyzed. The primary endpoint was ICU mortality. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors of death. Results: A total of 1344 patients were included, of whom 435 (32.4%) had diabetes mellitus. ICU mortality was significantly higher in patients with DM compared to non-diabetic patients (54.9% vs. 46.3%, p = 0.004). After adjustment for age, sex, sepsis, acute kidney injury, and mechanical ventilation, diabetes mellitus remained independently associated with an increased risk of ICU death. Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus is an independent predictor of short-term mortality in critically ill ICU patients. Early identification and risk stratification of diabetic patients may improve clinical management and outcomes in intensive care settings.