Why Diabetic Patients Are More Vulnerable to COVID-19

Diabetes Patients at High Risk with 2-3 Times Higher Severity and Mortality
Hyperglycemia, Immune Dysfunction, and Vascular Complications Worsen Patient Condition Increased

Citizens are undergoing diagnostic tests at the screening clinic of Yeongdeungpo-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The number of patients visiting medical institutions for diabetes treatment in South Korea reached 3 million in 2018 and exceeded 3.2 million last year. This year, the number has already reached 2.86 million in the first half alone. The overall scale is considerable, and the number of patients continues to increase steadily by more than 6% annually. The health insurance medical expenses for diabetes treatment alone approach 3 trillion won each year. It is no longer just a disease affecting middle-aged and elderly people. The number of patients in their 20s has increased by more than 10% annually over the past five years.

Simply put, diabetes damages our body's immune system, making patients more vulnerable to infectious diseases. This is why diabetes patients are considered a high-risk group for COVID-19. Among those who died from COVID-19 infection in South Korea, nearly half (46%) had endocrine or metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

Experts point out that diabetes patients infected with COVID-19 are more likely to develop severe symptoms due to high blood sugar, weakened immune function, and vascular complications. According to data analyzing patient statistics reported by various countries, COVID-19 patients with diabetes admitted to intensive care units had a relative risk of 2.21, more than twice as high as those admitted to general wards.

Professor Jeong In-gyeong, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital

The mortality rate is also higher. According to data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients with diabetes was 7.8%, more than three times the overall mortality rate of 2.3%. The mortality rate for COVID-19 patients without underlying diseases was 0.9%. Professor Jung In-kyung of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Kangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital said, "Diabetes patients often have high blood sugar, low immunity, and complications, and many are elderly and have other chronic diseases such as hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease," adding, "Because they are vulnerable to diseases, they must put more effort into infection prevention."

When infected with COVID-19, stress hormones are secreted in the body, and inflammation-related cytokines increase. This causes blood sugar levels to rise and triggers severe inflammatory responses, increasing the severity of COVID-19. Conversely, COVID-19 can also induce diabetes. It is necessary to monitor whether diabetes develops during the treatment process after COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 patients are vulnerable to dehydration and multi-organ failure, so diabetes medications may need to be changed or adjusted depending on their condition.

Professor Jung emphasized, "For severe COVID-19 patients, controlling blood sugar with insulin or appropriate diabetes medications, considering the risks of severe hyperglycemia, kidney or liver dysfunction, and dehydration, helps in better recovery from the infection," and added, "When using insulin, the risk of hypoglycemia must be carefully monitored."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.