Evaluating interactions between hyperglycemia and clotting factors in patients suffering with SARS-CoV-2 infection

Abstract

Background. With coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), patients with diabetes mellitus are dealing with two pandemics and are at a higher risk of mortality. The present study was undertaken to evaluate interactions between hyperglycemia and clotting factors in COVID-19 patients. Methods. In this retrospective observational study, 53 real-time RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 positive cases in 40 to 70 years of age, representing both sexes, were enrolled in the study from SMS Medical College, Jaipur (Rajasthan, India). Based on their history of diabetes mellitus and exclusion criterion, patients were divided into diabetics (N = 11) and non-diabetics (N = 17) groups. The data on clinical profile and coagulation profile was recorded along with the markers of inflammation and infection. The two groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney test and the Fisher’s exact test. Correlation coefficients between clotting factors were compared between two groups using Student t test. Results. There was no significant difference in age (p = 0.25) or gender (p = 0.12) between the two groups. The coagulation indicators FDP (p = 0.79), D-dimer (p = 0.30), APPT (p = 0.96), PT (p = 0.79), INR (p = 1.00) PLT (p = 0.17) and the markers of inflammation and infection did not differ significantly between the two groups. There was no significant difference in correlation coefficients among coagulation indicators between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion. The study concludes that pathogenesis in clotting system is not significantly different in stud-ied groups. Further research is needed to explain the higher mortality in diabetic patients suffering from COVID-19.