Diabetic retinopathy is independently associated with increased risk of intubation: A single centre cohort study of patients with diabetes hospitalised with COVID-19

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2021 Jan:171:108529. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2020.108529. Epub 2020 Nov 3.

Abstract

In our study of 187 patients with diabetes hospitalised with COVID-19 we observed a more than 5 fold increased risk of intubation in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Further studies are required to understand the mechanisms that explain the associations between retinopathy and other indices of microangiopathy with severe COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Endothelial dysfunction; Intubation; Microvascular disease; Retinopathy.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • COVID-19 / complications*
  • COVID-19 / transmission
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / epidemiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / virology
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / etiology*
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / pathology
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Intubation, Intratracheal / adverse effects*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • SARS-CoV-2 / isolation & purification*
  • United Kingdom / epidemiology
  • Young Adult