Association between Hb A_1c and Severity of COVID-19 Patients

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between Hb A_1c levels and the clinical course of coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) patients. Sixty-six COVID-19(+) patients with high Hb A_1c and 46 with average Hb A_1c and 30 COVID-19(–) patients with average Hb A_1c were included. Hb A_1c levels and parameters examined in COVID-19(+) patients were compared between groups, and correlation analysis was performed between these parameters and Hb A_1c levels. The effect of Hb A_1c levels on intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality rate in COVID-19 patients was analyzed with the χ² test. It was observed that hemoglobin (Hb) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO₂) levels of the COVID-19 (+) groups was lower than the COVID-19 (–) group, while ferritin, D-dimer, procalcitonin (PCT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were higher. The COVID-19 (+) group with high Hb A_1c had higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), PCT and D-dimer levels than the other two groups, while Hb, partial arterial oxygen pressure (PaO₂) levels were lower. The Hb A_1c levels of the COVID-19 (+) groups were positively correlated with absolute neutrophil count (ANC), LDH, PCT and (K⁺) levels, while negatively correlated with Hb and PaO₂ levels. Hb A_1c was found to be associated with the inflammation process, coagulation disorders and low PaO₂ in COVID-19 patients. The COVID-19 patients with high Hb A_1c levels had a higher mortality rate than other COVID-19 patients. Using Hb A_1c measurements with other prognostic markers would contribute to the patient’s risk of death assessment.

Keywords:

• Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19)
• diabetes mellitus (DM)
• Hb A_1c
• mortality

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.