ABSTRACT
Background: The early reports of COVID-19 came from Wuhan, China in early December, 2019 with clusters of cases of severe pneumonia (1). Since then, reports of new onset diabetes (NODM) and diabetic ketoacidosis have been published (2, 3). This study aims to estimate the incidence of NODM among patients with COVID-19 admitted to a hospital in Basra, southern Iraq. Material(s) and Method(s): This was a retrospective crosssectional study conducted at Al-Mawani Hospital from October to December 2020 on 1011 patients. Data were extracted from records of patients admitted to COVID-19 wards and ICU. Patients were diagnosed as having NODM according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria (4). Place of admission (isolation wards or ICU), patients' outcome (alive or dead), plasma glucose and insulin use were documented. Result(s): Males represent 58.4% of the participants. Mean age was 55.6 years. Approximately, 1/5 (20.5%) of the participants were managed at ICU. NODM was reported in 26.7% of the patients (44.8% of those who do not have past history of diabetes). Preexisting diabetes was reported in 40.4%. Accordingly, 679 (67.1%) were having diabetes both known and NODM. Mean plasma glucose for those with diabetes was = 334 mg/dL. Insulin therapy was used in 444 (65.3% of those with diabetes). Mortality rate was 24.3%. Those with NODM were more likely to be admitted to the isolation ward rather than ICU compared to those without (21.3% vs 18.5%, p=0,0005). In contrast, those with pre-existing diabetes were more likely to be admitted to ICU (22.4% vs 19.2%, p=0.0005). Mortality rate was higher among those with pre-existing diabetes than those with NODM (27.6% vs 21.1%, p=0.0005). Mortality rate among those with diabetes was more than those without (25% vs 22.8%, p=0005). Conclusion(s): A high incidence rate of NODM and prevalence rate of diabetes were reported in this cohort of patients. Quarter of patients admitted to the hospital for moderate-severe COVID-19 died. Inpatients insulin therapy was suboptimal. Future studies which include pre-admission data on glucose profile as well studies on the incidence of NODM among mild-moderate cases of COVID19 are required. Further prospective studies with a long follow up period are needed to better understand the outcome of NODM post COVID-19. Health Care Providers should screen for diabetes in all patients with COVID-19.