Random Blood Glucose, but Not HbA1c, Was Associated with Mortality in COVID-19 Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—A Retrospective Study

• Main Authors: Stefanus Gunawan Kanindita, -, Soebagijo Adi Soelistijo, -, Agung Pranoto, -, Erwin Astha Triyono, -
• Format: Article PeerReviewed
• Language: English; English; English; English
• Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) 2023
• Subjects: R Medicine (General); RC Internal medicine
• Online Access: https://repository.unair.ac.id/125749/1/15.pdf; https://repository.unair.ac.id/125749/2/Artikel%2015.pdf; https://repository.unair.ac.id/125749/3/Similarity%2015.pdf; https://repository.unair.ac.id/125749/4/Bukti%20Korespondensi%2015.pdf; https://repository.unair.ac.id/125749/; https://www.mdpi.com/1873-149X/30/2/12; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathophysiology30020012
• Institution: Universitas Airlangga

Previous studies have yielded inconsistent results on whether glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and random blood glucose (RBG) are associated with mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to assess the association of HbA1c and RBG with mortality among COVID-19 patients with T2DM. A retrospective study was conducted on 237 patients with COVID-19 and T2DM (survival (n = 169) and non-survival groups (n = 68)). Data on socio-demography, comorbidities, clinical symptoms, laboratory examination, and mortality were collected. Patients in the non-survival group had an older age range as compared with those in the survival group (60 (52.3–65.0) vs. 56.0 (48.5–61.5) years, p = 0.009). There was no statistical gender difference between the two groups. After matching was done, chronic kidney disease, NLR, d-dimer, procalcitonin, and random blood glucose were higher in the non-survival group compared to the survival group (p < 0.05). HbA1c levels were similar in survivors and non-survivors (8.7% vs. 8.9%, p=0.549). The level of RBG was independently associated with mortality of COVID-19 patients with T2DM (p = 0.003, adjusted OR per 1-SD increment 2.55, 95% CI: 1.36–4.76). In conclusion, RBG was associated with the mortality of COVID-19 patients with T2DM, but HbA1c was not.