Relation of D-dimer levels of COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus

Background and aimsDiabetes is a frequent comorbidity in patients with Severe COVID-19 infection associated with a worse prognosis. Hypercoagulability with elevation in D-dimer levels has been demonstrated in patients with COVID-19. This study aims to study D-dimer levels in people with diabetes compared to those without diabetes among patients with COVID-19 infection.MethodsIn this observational study 98 moderate and severely ill patients with COVID-19 infection were included at a dedicated COVID hospital. The study group was divided into patients with diabetes and without diabetes. Peak D-dimer was measured in both the groups and compared using appropriate statistical tests.ResultsIn our study peak D-dimer levels were 1509 ± 2420 ng/mL (Mean ± SD) in people with diabetes and 515 ± 624 ng/mL (Mean ± SD) in patients without diabetes. Patients with diabetes had higher D-dimer levels which were statistically significant.ConclusionsThis study shows COVID-19 patients with diabetes had significantly higher D-dimer levels. Therefore, it is possible that COVID-19 infection with diabetes is more likely to cause hypercoagulable state with a worse prognosis. However clinical implications of these findings will need to be seen in further studies.