The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of pre-existing diabetes, newly-diagnosed diabetes, and hyperglycemia in the severity of symptoms in COVID-19 patients.

The data for this study was obtained from an outbreak hospital in North-East Italy and 413 patients who were hospitalized between February and April 2020 were evaluated.

107 of the 413 patients had diabetes and 21 of them were newly-diagnosed patients.

Diabetic patients were older, had more comorbidities, were admitted to the ICU more, and had a higher mortality rate than non-diabetic patients.

It was also observed that in patients with newly-diagnosed diabetes, a higher ICU admission rate and a higher mortality rate than patients with pre-existing diabetes was present.

Hyperglycemia was associated with COVID-19 severity and was apparent when observed admission glucose levels.

These hyperglycemic conditions were met with an adverse outcome due to worsened respiratory function.

Overall, newly-diagnosed diabetes and hyperglycemia at admission are important factors in the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and this is due to worsened respiratory function.