Prevalence and Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Diabetic Ketoacidosis/Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome and COVID-19: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT

@#BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Several reports have shown that coexistence of diabetes mellitus and COVID-19 is one of the risk factors for poor outcome and increased mortality. Rapid metabolic deterioration with development of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) may result due to the acute insulin secretory capacity loss, stress condition and the cytokine storm. In this review, we aim to describe the prevalence of hyperglycemic crises(DKA/HHS) in patients with COVID-19 infection as well as their clinical outcomes. METHODS. An intensive search was done using the WebMD, PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar databases for articles published between December 2019 to October 2020 that identified the number of patients who developed DKA and/or HHS among those who were admitted for COVID-19. Their clinical outcomes were likewise described. RESULTS. This review included 4 articles in which individual quality was assessed. A total of 1282 patients were admitted for COVID-19 and the prevalence of DKA was 1.32%. HHS was not reported in any of the studies. Five (29.4%) of the patients with DKA and COVID-19 died and 12 (70.6%) recovered. CONCLUSIONS. A significant number of COVID-19 patients developed DKA and it is associated with a high mortality rate. This reimposes the need for an appropriate algorithm for the optimal management of concomitant COVID 19 and hyperglycemic crises to avoid morbidity and mortality. Additionally, there is paucity of large-scale studies describing the prevalence of DKA/HHS in patients with COVID-19.