BENGALURU: A COVID death audit until November 8 at Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College and Research Institute, a government hospital, found that a majority of the victims were diabetic (119 patients) or hypertensive (99 patients). Totally, there have been 221 COVID deaths in this hospital.
"Diabetic and hypertensive patients are immunocompromised and are susceptible to secondary infections. Once they have a viral infection like COVID, their blood sugar levels rise, while their lungs are affected by the virus. In such a situation, they cannot recover," said Dr Manoj Kumar, dean and director, Bowing College and Hospital.
"In hypertension patients, the heart is affected and when they contract COVID-19, they may suffer viral myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscles, leading to death," Dr Manoj added.
In Bowring, nine patients stayed for less than an hour before succumbing to the virus, 17 people stayed for less than six hours before passing away, 19 people were in hospital for 6 to 12 hours, 16 people stayed between 12 to 24 hours, 79 people were admitted for 1 to 5 days, and 84 people stayed for more than five days.
As per Dr Mahesh DM, consultant, Endocrinology, Aster CMI Hospital, both diabetes Type 1 and 2 are chronic diseases that produce high sugar levels in the blood (or blood glucose). In diabetics, the body may reduce insulin production which transforms body glucose into energy. Consequently, glucose builds up in the body and in severe cases, diabetics have to take insulin to reduce blood sugar levels.
"Regardless of the diabetes type, the immune system gets compromised and the patient becomes more prone to coronavirus, which thrives in a context of elevated blood glucose. Elderly patients, particularly, are more susceptible to the effects of COVID-19 in a diabetes context. Studies have shown a strong link between controlled blood sugar and lower inflammatory markers, while high blood sugar can lead to severe complications or even cause death," Dr Mahesh said.
The largest category of patients who passed away in Bowring Hospital fell in the 61 to 70 age group (50 patients), followed by the 51 to 60 age group (47 patients), 71 to 80 age group (44 patients), 41 to 50 age group (38 patients), 31 to 40 years (17 patients), 21 to 30 years (8 patients) and 11 to 20 years (2 patients). Of the 221 deaths, 145 were male and 76 were female.
Dr Ravindra Mehta, senior consultant and HOD, Pulmonology and Interventional Pulmonology, Apollo Speciality Hospitals, said that not enough research has been done to know the exact mechanism by which diabetes and hypertension leads to death in COVID patients. However, what we do know is what happens between the virus and immune system.
"Statistically, having diabetes and hypertension increases the risk of mortality in COVID patients. They also alter the immune system, by affecting the body's ability to fight the virus. A diabetic having insulin resistance adds to the problem. If we give them steroids, sugar levels go up. The patients are susceptible to secondary infections such as fungal ones," Dr Mehta said.
