Unexpected high mortality in COVID-19 and diabetic ketoacidosis

TO THE EDITOR: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) appear to be at a greater risk for severe symptoms and complications, including death from COVID-19 [1,2]. DM is a common comorbidity in patients affected with COVID-19 and may cause ketosis, ketoacidosis, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) [3]. In patients with DM, acute hyperglycemic crises such as DKA and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state can be precipitated by an acute illness such as COVID-19 and it can result in catastrophic outcomes. At Jacobi Medical Center, an epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, we noted that a significant proportion of patients with COVID-19 also presented with DKA.
Source: Metabolism - Clinical and Experimental - Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Source Type: research