Diabetes mellitus has been associated with negative implications, including mortality, severe COVID-19, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and disease progression among COVID-19 patients. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze predictors of mortality, including its socio-demographic, laboratory, and clinical aspects, among diabetic patients hospitalized with COVID-19. This study employed a retrospective, analytical observational approach using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression with a level of significance of 0.05. This involves 200 patients with COVID-19 and Diabetes mellitus admitted from March 1, 2020, until September 30, 2020, at a single-center tertiary hospital in the Philippines. Age (p-value=0.035) and end-organ damage (p-value=0.039) were found to be key predictors of mortality. Active cancer (p-value=0.032) and atrial fibrillation (AF) (p-value=0.027) were also important contributing factors. Additionally, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (p-value=0.030) and septic shock (p-value < 0.001) also showed a marked increased risk of mortality among patients. Overall, this study identified age, number of end-organ damage, active cancer, AF, ARDS, and septic shock as important predictors of mortality among COVID-19 patients with Diabetes mellitus, emphasizing the necessity of focused management approaches in this high-risk group.

Faith Caratao completed her fellowship training in Endocrinology in 2021. She is a practicing endocrinologist in the province of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. She is affiliated with both private and public institutions in her region. Her research interests include thyroid issues in pregnancy, sarcopenia, and obesity management.