Exploring inflammatory markers: impact on symptom severity and clinical prognosis in diabetic vs. non-diabetic COVID-19 patients

RMJ. 2025; 50(2): 295-299

Mehwish Iftikhar, Ghazala Jawwad, Amna Rizvi, Maleha Asim, Aysha Mushtaq, Amanat Ali.

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Objective: To compare inflammatory markers between diabetic and non-diabetic COVID-19 patients, correlating them with symptom severity and clinical outcomes for tailored interventions. Methodology: This multicentric cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2021 to January 2022 and included 610 COVID-19 patients from various hospitals of Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Lahore. Groups were divided by diabetes status. Data included demographics, symptoms, comorbidities, lab parameters and inflammatory markers. Statistical analyses assessed differences and correlations. Results: Diabetic patients (group I, n=290) had higher comorbidities and severity. Death rate was significantly higher in diabetics (37.6%) compared to non-diabetics (13.8%). Group I exhibited significantly elevated HbA1c, inflammatory markers (TLC, ferritin, d-dimer, C-reactive protein), and lower pH, SPO2. HbA1c correlated negatively with SpO2 (r= -0.272, p Key words: COVID-19, Diabetes mellitus, Inflammatory markers, Ferritin, severity.