Relationship between hyperglycemia, waist circumference, and the course of COVID-19: Mortality risk assessment

An observational study was conducted in Ukraine to determine the independent mortality risks among adult inpatients with COVID-19. The results of treatment of COVID-19 inpatients ( n = 367) are presented, and waist circumference (WC) was measured. Logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate the effects of factors on the risk of mortality. Odds ratios and 95% CIs for the association were calculated. One hundred and three of 367 subjects had fasting plasma glucose level that met the diabetes mellitus criteria (≥7.0 mmol/L), in 53 patients, diabetes mellitus was previously known. Two hundred and eleven patients did not have diabetes or hyperglycemia. Diabetes mellitus/hyperglycemia odds ratio 2.5 (CI 1.0–6.1), p = 0.045 loses statistical significance after standardization by age, waist circumference or fasting plasma glucose. No effect on gender, body mass index-determined obesity, or hypertension was found. The fasting plasma glucose (>8.5 mmol/L), age (≥61 years), and waist circumference (>105 cm) categories were associated with ORs 6.34 (CI 2.60–15.4); 4.12 (CI 1.37–12.4); 8.93 (CI 3.26–24.5), respectively. The optimal model of mortality risk with AUC 0.86 (CI 0.81–0.91) included the diabetes/heperglycemia and age categories as well as waist circumference as a continued variable. Waist circumference is an independent risk factor for mortality of inpatients with COVID-19.