Risk and predictors of severity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and COVID-19 in Dubai

BACKGROUND

Globally, patients with diabetes suffer from increased disease severity and mortality due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Old age, high body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, and complications of diabetes are recognized as major risk factors for infection severity and mortality.

AIM

To investigate the risk and predictors of higher severity and mortality among in-hospital patients with COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes (T2D) during the first wave of the pandemic in Dubai (March-September 2020).

METHODS

In this cross-sectional nested case-control study, a total of 1083 patients with COVID-19 were recruited. This study included 890 men and 193 women. Of these, 427 had T2D and 656 were non-diabetic. The clinical, radiographic, and laboratory data of the patients with and without T2D were compared. Independent predictors of mortality in COVID-19 non-survivors were identified in patients with and without T2D.

RESULTS

T2D patients with COVID-19 were older and had higher BMI than those without T2D. They had higher rates of comorbidities such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and more life-threatening complications. All laboratory parameters of disease severity were significantly higher than in those without T2D. Therefore, these patients had a longer hospital stay and a significantly higher mortality rate. They died from COVID-19 at a rate three times higher than patients without. Most laboratory and radiographic severity indices in non-survivors were high in patients with and without T2D. In the univariate analysis of the predictors of mortality among all COVID-19 non-survivors, significant associations were identified with old age, increased white blood cell count, lym-phopenia, and elevated serum troponin levels. In multivariate analysis, only lymphopenia was identified as an independent predictor of mortality among T2D non-survivors.

CONCLUSION

Patients with COVID-19 and T2D were older with higher BMI, more comorbidities, higher disease severity indices, more severe proinflammatory state with cardiac involvement, and died from COVID-19 at three times the rate of patients without T2D. The identified mortality predictors will help healthcare workers prioritize the management of patients with COVID-19.

Post-Transplant Diabetes: Prevalence, Risk, and Management Challenges

The prevalence of diabetes and diabetic nephropathy is increasing, especially in middle eastern countries. Many patients reach end-stage renal disease and either start dialysis or consider preemptive transplantation. Even a higher number of patients develop post-transplant diabetes, which imposes an even higher risk on graft survival and outcomes post-transplantation. Recently, in the UAE, a renal transplant service has been initiated. Because the population is considered at high risk for post-transplant diabetes, we wrote this review article to discuss the prevalence, risk factors, diagnostic criteria, and management, including lifestyle interventions, manipulation of immunosuppressant agents, and suggested algorithms for the use of oral hypoglycemic agents used in the management of post-transplantation diabetes mellitus. We also discussed the specific indications for each of the oral hypoglycemic agents.

Impact of provision of optimum diabetes care on the safety of fasting in Ramadan in adult and adolescent patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

All diabetes and Ramadan guidelines advice against fasting for people with type 1 diabetes, however, many insist on fasting. Consequently, this causes a challenge due to the risk of hypoglycaemia, hyperglycemia ± diabetic ketoacidosis.

AIM

To assess the impact of optimum care, which includes Ramadan-focused education, flash glucose monitoring, dietary advice and treatment adjustment on the safety of Ramadan fasting in people with type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

Thirty persons with type 1 diabetes who insisted to fast during Ramadan were recruited to the study. At pre-Ramadan visit, all patients received Ramadan focused education and Freestyle Libre (FSL) sensor insertion and training. Patients used the sensor for 6 weeks (pre-Ramadan and during Ramadan). The physical and biological parameters were collected 2-4 weeks before and after Ramadan.

RESULTS

22 patients on basal bolus insulin and 2 on an insulin pump had FSL data. Average number of days fasted were 24. Learning benefits was reported by 95% of patients following pre-Ramadan educational session. There was no clinically significant change in physical and/or biological data between pre and post-Ramadan. 63% reported making insulin dose adjustments in Ramadan. Flash glucose monitoring data showed 46.7% of patients had more than 10 hypoglycemic episodes in the 2 weeks prior to Ramadan compared to 29.2% during Ramadan. However, none of the data were statistically significant apart from HbA1c which reduced from prior to RamadanHbA1c of 8.2% to 7.9% post Ramadan (P 0.010). There was one DKA on 2nd day of Ramadan, reported due to missing insulin dose to avoid hypoglycemia.

CONCLUSION

Optimal care of selective patients with type 1 diabetes with a low complication rate may allow Ramadan fasting with improvement in glycemic control and without an increase in hypoglycemia, biometric or metabolic parameters. Larger, randomized controlled trials are required to be able to generalize this as a recommendation.

Challenges in management of diabetic ketoacidosis in hemodialysis patients, case presentation and review of literature

Chronic kidney disease is associated with accumulation of uremic toxins that increases insulin resistance which will lead to blunted ability to suppress hepatic gluconeogenesis and reduce peripheral utilization of insulin. CKD patients fail to increase insulin secretion in response to insulin resistance because of acidosis, 1,25 vitamin D deficiency, and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Hemodialysis causes further fluctuations in glycemic control due to alterations in insulin secretion, clearance and resistance. DKA is uncommon in hemodialysis patients because of the absence of glycosuria and osmotic diuresis which accounts for most of the fluid and electrolyte losses seen in DKA, anuric patients may be somewhat protected from dehydration and shock, although still subject to hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis. However, substantial volume loss can still occur due to a prolonged decrease in oral intake or increased insensible water losses related to tachypnoea and fever. There is no current guidelines for the management of diabetic ketoacidosis in anuric hemodialysis patients considering their differences than general population. In this review article we reviewed the literature and came with specific recommendations for management of Ketoacidosis in patients with CKD treated by hemodialysis.