Covid study shows death risk doubles for diabetes patients

People with diabetes are almost twice as likely to die with Covid than those without, a study has shown.

The University of Aberdeen research also found that those with diabetes are three times as likely to be critically or severely ill with the virus.

However, the risk declined when blood sugar levels were controlled.

The findings come from analysis of 158 studies, including more than 270,000 participants, to determine how Covid affects people with diabetes.

Dr Stavroula Kastora, who worked on the study, said: "We found that following a Covid-19 infection, the risk of death for patients with diabetes was significantly increased in comparison to patients without diabetes."

She said their study of global data suggested patients with diabetes had a "significantly higher risk" of needing intensive care, supplementary oxygen or admission with a critical condition than patients without diabetes.

Healthcare differences

Diabetes is a serious medical condition where blood sugar levels are too high.

The study, in collaboration with King's College London, also took into account patients' location and highlighted healthcare resources available to them.

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Patients in China, Korea and the Middle East were at higher risk of death than those from European countries or the US due to differences in healthcare systems.

There was a "less extreme difference" in outcomes for patients in the EU and the USA, Dr Kastora added.

"Ultimately, we have identified a disparity in Covid outcomes between the eastern and western world," she said.