In-Hospital Hyperglycemia Is Associated With Worse Outcomes in Patients Admitted With COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes and the outpatient diabetes treatment regimen have been identified as risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with sepsis. However, little is known about the effect of tight inpatient glycemic control in the setting of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, we examined the effect of hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes hospitalized because of COVID-19. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed data from 1,938 COVID-19 patients with diabetes hospitalized for COVID-19 from March to May 2020 at a large academic medical center in New York City. Patients were divided into two groups based on their inpatient glycemic values, and a Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the independent association of inpatient glucose levels with mortality (primary outcome) and the risk of requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) (secondary outcome). RESULTS: In our analysis, 32% of the patients were normoglycemic and 68% hyperglycemic. Moreover, 31% of the study subjects died during hospitalization, and 14% required MV, with inpatient hyperglycemia being significantly associated with both mortality and the requirement for MV. Additionally, in the Cox regression analysis, after adjustment for potential confounders, including age, sex, race, BMI, HbA1c, comorbidities, inflammatory markers, and corticosteroid therapy, patients with uncontrolled hyperglycemia had a higher risk of dying (hazard ratio [HR] 1.54, 95% CI 1.00-2.36, P = 0.049) and of requiring MV (HR 4.41, 95% CI 1.52-2.81, P = 0.006) than those with normoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: A tight control of inpatient hyperglycemia may be an effective method for improving outcomes in patients with diabetes hospitalized for COVID-19.

Remote Continuous Glucose Monitoring With a Computerized Insulin Infusion Protocol for Critically Ill Patients in a COVID-19 Medical ICU: Proof of Concept.

OBJECTIVE: The use of remote real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in the hospital has rapidly emerged to preserve personal protective equipment and reduce potential exposures during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We linked a hybrid CGM and point-of-care (POC) glucose testing protocol to a computerized decision support system for continuous insulin infusion and integrated a validation system for sensor glucose values into the electronic health record. We report our proof-of-concept experience in a COVID-19 intensive care unit. RESULTS: All nine patients required mechanical ventilation and corticosteroids. During the protocol, 75.7% of sensor values were within 20% of the reference POC glucose with an associated average reduction in POC of 63%. Mean time in range (70-180 mg/dL) was 71.4 ± 13.9%. Sensor accuracy was impacted by mechanical interferences in four patients. CONCLUSIONS: A hybrid protocol integrating real-time CGM and POC is helpful for managing critically ill patients with COVID-19 requiring insulin infusion.

COVID-19 Hospitalization in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes: Results from the T1D Exchange Multicenter Surveillance Study.

CONTEXT: Diabetes mellitus is associated with increased COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, but there are few data focusing on outcomes in people with type 1 diabetes. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze characteristics of adults with type 1 diabetes for associations with COVID-19 hospitalization. DESIGN: An observational multisite cross-sectional study was performed. Diabetes care providers answered a 33-item questionnaire regarding demographics, symptoms, and diabetes- and COVID-19-related care and outcomes. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study population, and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), age, and comorbidities and hospitalization. SETTING: Cases were submitted from 52 US sites between March and August 2020. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Adults over the age of 19 with type 1 diabetes and confirmed COVID-19 infection were included. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hospitalization for COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: A total of 113 cases were analyzed. Fifty-eight patients were hospitalized, and 5 patients died. Patients who were hospitalized were more likely to be older, to identify as non-Hispanic Black, to use public insurance, or to have hypertension, and less likely to use continuous glucose monitoring or insulin pumps. Median HbA1c was 8.6% (70 mmol/mol) and was positively associated with hospitalization (odds ratio 1.42, 95% confidence interval 1.18-1.76), which persisted after adjustment for age, sex, race, and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline glycemic control and access to care are important modifiable risk factors which need to be addressed to optimize care of people with type 1 diabetes during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Full Inequities in Diabetic Ketoacidosis among Patients with Type 1 diabetes and COVID-19: Data from 52 US Clinical Centers

Objective We examined whether diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious complication of type 1 diabetes (T1D) was more prevalent among Non-Hispanic (NH) Black and Hispanic patients with T1D and laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 compared to NH Whites. Method This is a cross-sectional study of patients with T1D and laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from 52 clinical sites in the US, data was collected April – August 2020. We examined the distribution of patient factors and DKA events across NH White, NH Black, and Hispanic race/ethnicity groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the odds of DKA among NH Black and Hispanic patients with T1D as compared to NH White patients, adjusting for potential confounders, such as age, sex, insurance, and last HbA1c. Results We included 180 patients with T1D and laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in the analysis. Forty-four percent (n=79) were NH White, 31% (n=55) NH Black, 26% (n=46) Hispanic. NH Blacks and Hispanics had higher median HbA1c than Whites ((%-points) [IQR]:11.7[4.7], p<0.001, and 9.7[3.1] vs. 8.3[2.4], p=0.01). We found that more NH Black and Hispanic presented with DKA compared to Whites (55% and 33% vs. 13%, p<0.001 and p=0.008, respectively). After adjusting for potential confounders, NH Black patients continued to have greater odds of presenting with DKA compared with NH Whites (OR [95%CI]: 3.7 [1.4,10.6]). Conclusion We found that among T1D patients with COVID-19 infection, NH Blacks were more likely to present in DKA compared with NH White patients. Our findings demonstrate additional risk among NH Blacks with T1D and COVID-19.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) in critically ill hospitalized patients holds promise; however, real-world data are needed. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We placed Dexcom G6 CGM on intensive care unit (ICU) patients at Montefiore Medical Center with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and glycemic variability. We analyzed inpatient CGM accuracy using point-of-care (POC) glucose-CGM matched pairs and included patients for analysis regardless of clinical status. RESULTS: We included 11 patients with CGM: 8 on continuous insulin infusion (CII), 8 on vasopressors, 8 intubated, 4 on high-dose glucocorticoids, 6 on renal replacement therapy, and 2 with anasarca. Accuracy was 12.58% for mean and 6.3% for median absolute relative difference. CGM reduced POC testing by ∼60% for patients on CII. CONCLUSIONS: In this real-world preliminary analysis of rtCGM during critical illness, we demonstrate early feasibility, considerable accuracy, and meaningful reduction in the frequency of POC glucose testing.

Innovations in Diabetes Care for a Better "New Normal" Beyond COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease pandemic has created opportunities for innovation in diabetes care that were not possible before. From the lens of this "new normal" state, we have an opportunity to rapidly implement, test, and iterate models of diabetes care to achieve the quadruple aim of improving medical outcomes, patient experience, provider satisfaction, and reducing costs. In this perspective, we discuss several innovative diabetes models of care which promote collaborative care models and improve access to high-quality specialty diabetes care. We discuss ongoing threats to diabetes care innovation, and offer practical solutions to foster evolution and sustain current strides made during the pandemic.

Preadmission Diabetes-Specific Risk Factors for Mortality in Hospitalized Patients With Diabetes and Coronavirus Disease 2019.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether HbA1c, outpatient diabetes treatment regimen, demographics, and clinical characteristics are associated with mortality in hospitalized patients with diabetes and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with diabetes hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 infection from 11 March to 7 May 2020 at a large academic medical center in New York City. Multivariate modeling was used to assess the independent association of HbA1c levels and outpatient diabetes treatment regimen with mortality, in addition to independent effects of demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: We included 1,126 hospitalized patients with diabetes and COVID-19 for analysis, among whom mean age was 68 years, 50% were male, 75% were Black, mean BMI was 30 kg/m2, 98% had type 2 diabetes, mean HbA1c was 7.5%, and 33.1% died. HbA1c levels were not associated with mortality in unadjusted or adjusted analyses, but an outpatient regimen with any insulin treatment was strongly predictive. Additionally, age, sex, and BMI interacted such that in all age categories, mortality was higher with increasing BMI in males compared with females. CONCLUSIONS: In this large U.S. cohort of hospitalized patients with diabetes and COVID-19, insulin treatment, as a possible proxy for diabetes duration, and obesity rather than long-term glycemic control were predictive of mortality. Further investigation of underlying mechanisms of mortality and inpatient glycemic control is needed.

Effect of Systemic Glucocorticoids on Mortality or Mechanical Ventilation in Patients With COVID-19.

The efficacy of glucocorticoids in COVID-19 is unclear. This study was designed to determine whether systemic glucocorticoid treatment in COVID-19 patients is associated with reduced mortality or mechanical ventilation. This observational study included 1,806 hospitalized COVID-19 patients; 140 were treated with glucocorticoids within 48 hours of admission. Early use of glucocorticoids was not associated with mortality or mechanical ventilation. However, glucocorticoid treatment of patients with initial C-reactive protein (CRP) ≥20 mg/dL was associated with significantly reduced risk of mortality or mechanical ventilation (odds ratio, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.08-0.70), while glucocorticoid treatment of patients with CRP <10 mg/dL was associated with significantly increased risk of mortality or mechanical ventilation (OR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.39-5.03). Whether glucocorticoid treatment is associated with changes in mortality or mechanical ventilation in patients with high or low CRP needs study in prospective, randomized clinical trials.

Implementation of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the Hospital: Emergent Considerations for Remote Glucose Monitoring During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has become a widely used tool in the ambulatory setting for monitoring glucose levels, as well as detecting uncontrolled hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and glycemic variability. The accuracy of some CGM systems has recently improved to the point of manufacture with factory calibration and Food and Drug Administration clearance for nonadjunctive use to dose insulin. In this commentary, we analyze the answers to six questions about what is needed to bring CGM into the hospital as a reliable, safe, and effective tool. The evidence to date indicates that CGM offers promise as an effective tool for monitoring hospitalized patients. During the current coronavirus disease 2019 crisis, we hope to provide guidance to healthcare professionals, who are seeking to reduce exposure to SARS-Cov-2, as well as preserve invaluable personal protective equipment. In this commentary, we address who, what, where, when, why, and how CGM can be adopted for inpatient use.