Association of Diabetes Mellitus with COVID-19 Severity and Prognosis

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic has posed a major health crisis, particularly affecting individuals with pre-existing chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus. This retrospective cohort study aimed to explore the association between diabetes mellitus (both Type 1 and Type 2) and COVID-19 in the public of Pakistan. 1,514 diabetic patients were surveyed between October 2024 and April 2025 from various hospitals in Lahore, 635 were found to be co-infected with COVID-19. The study analyzed the prevalence of comorbidities such as cardiovascular, kidney, liver, pulmonary diseases, and neuropathy, along with factors such as BMI, smoking, and blood pressure. Results showed that COVID-19 prevalence was higher in males (57.6%) and primarily affected the 41–60 age group. Type 2 diabetes was predominant among co-infected patients (89.4%). Mortality was significantly higher in diabetic patients with COVID-19 (36.7%) compared to those without (5.2%). Chi-square analysis confirmed significant associations between COVID-19 in diabetics and risk factors such as pulmonary problems, smoking, liver disease, kidney disease, and cardiovascular conditions. These findings emphasize the critical need for focused healthcare strategies for diabetic patients during respiratory pandemics.