CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND RISK FACTORS FOR SEVERE COVID-19 IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and identify risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). A total of 74 diabetic patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were included. Among them, 27 patients (36.5%) developed severe disease, and 10 patients (13.5%) died. Compared with non-severe cases, patients with severe COVID-19 had significantly higher levels of blood glucose, serum amyloid A (SAA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). In contrast, severe cases demonstrated lower levels of albumin, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), small dense low-density lipoprotein (sdLDL), and CD4+ T lymphocyte counts. Logistic regression analysis identified reduced CD4+ T lymphocyte counts (OR = 0.988, 95% CI: 0.979–0.997) and elevated SAA levels (OR = 1.029, 95% CI: 1.002–1.058) as independent risk factors for severe COVID-19 in patients with T2DM. These findings suggest that immune dysfunction and inflammatory response play a critical role in disease severity among diabetic patients with COVID-19, highlighting the importance of early monitoring and risk stratification in this high-risk population. Keywords: COVID-19, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Disease Severity, Risk Factors, Hyperglycemia, Dyslipidemia, CD4+ T Lymphocytes