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According to official figures, a quarter of COVID-19 patients who died in hospitals in England had diabetes.
For the first time, NHS England has released a breakdown of deaths from pre-existing conditions. Only five percent of victims did not have an underlying problem.
Of the 22,332 patients who died since March 31, when pre-existing conditions began to be reported, some 5,873 (26%) had diabetes.
The condition, which affects around 4 million Britons, makes people more susceptible to developing infections.
High blood sugar levels can weaken the defense of the patient’s immune system, causing it to respond more slowly to viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.
It is also closely related to obesity, which has been recognized as possible risk factors for serious complications with COVID-19.
Doctors today said that diabetics would have better COVID-19 results if they managed their condition properly.
The NHS England figures also revealed that almost a fifth of COVID-19 victims in hospitals had dementia and 15 percent had COPD.
A quarter of COVID-19 patients who died in hospitals in England had diabetes, according to official NHS England figures. Nearly a fifth of COVID-19 victims in hospitals had dementia and 15 percent had COPD
The official government death count shows that 33,614 people have died from COVID-19 in the UK, including 24,100 in hospitals in England.
As of today, the NHS has begun publishing ongoing information on the conditions of COVID-19 victims.
Of those that have occurred since March 31 (22,332), 5,873 patients who died had diabetes.
Diabetes is a common condition that affects one in 16 people in the UK. That includes both diagnosed and undiagnosed people.
Dr. Hajira Dambha-Miller, GP and diabetes specialist, said the data did not surprise her.
She told MailOnline: ‘People with diabetes are more susceptible to infections, even if we are not in the midst of a pandemic.
“Diabetes leads to increased susceptibility to infection because there is more sugar for insects to grow and chronic inflammation means that the immune system is slower to eliminate it.”
Dr. Dambha-Miller said that when someone has diabetes, their blood turns to “molasses” as a result of high sugar levels.
“Physically, it is more difficult for the immune system to get to the virus,” he said. ‘Bug viruses do a lot of damage before the immune system realizes it’s there.
‘When the body kicks in, it won’t work as it should. The immune cells are damaged because they have been saturated with sugar for years and are not working as they should. ”
Managing diabetes is notoriously difficult. It involves dealing with short-term events, such as high and low blood sugar levels, as well as understanding how to deal with the condition in the long term.
NHS England did not specify whether those who died had type 1 and type 2 diabetes. But experts say the risks of COVID-19 adverse outcomes are likely to be lower if either type is well administered.
Dr. Damnha-Miller said: ‘The better the sugar control, the better the results for people with diabetes. If people are very careful with sugar control in the long term, this will be helpful in improving results. There is tons of evidence regarding everyday infections like the flu or colds. ”
Diabetes is related to obesity and ethnicity, both of which have been independently identified as risk factors for COVID-19 disease severity.
Nine out of ten diabetics are type 2, which is offset by an unhealthy lifestyle. Increasing diagnoses of type 2 diabetes parallel high levels of obesity.
Ethnicity plays an important role in the prevalence of diabetes: it is four times more frequent in people in Bangladesh and India.
Pakistani women are five times more likely to develop diabetes, and Indian women are 2.5 times more at risk, according to the Diabetes.co.uk charity.
In general, the prevalence of diabetes is usually six times higher for people of South Asian origin and three times higher for people of African origin.
Emerging evidence linking obesity and ethnicity to COVID-19 has prompted an investigation by Public Health England.
A major study conducted in Glasgow last week found that obesity can double the risk of needing hospitalization for COVID-19.
Dr. Hajira Dambha-Miller, a GP and diabetes specialist, said better management of the disease would improve outcomes. Stock: Glucometer used to manage the condition
And government data shows that the risk of dying from the coronavirus is “significantly” higher among some ethnic groups compared to whites, when age was taken into account.
For example, black people are four times more likely to die from the virus, which was only halved when health conditions and other factors are taken into account.
Charity Diabetes UK said the figures show an “urgent” need for more information to ensure the safety of people with diabetes as closure measures are eased.
Diabetics are among the most vulnerable to severe COVID-19, but the government does not consider them to be “extremely high risk.”
They can leave their homes to exercise and obtain medications, unlike those with rare cancers or organ recipients who must not leave their homes under any conditions.
Bridget Turner, Policy Director for Diabetes UK, said: ‘The fact that more than a quarter of people who have died with COVID19 have diabetes underscores the urgent need to ensure better protection and additional support available to those in groups. clinically vulnerable.
‘We still urgently need to understand through research why people with diabetes are affected in such numbers. But until we know more, people living with diabetes should be supported to manage their condition.
“The government must urgently ensure that employers take all necessary measures to keep employees with diabetes safe, if they are expected to attend work outside the home as restrictions are eased,” he said.
“This includes ensuring that guidance for employers is clear, consistent, and focused on employee safety above all else.”
Dementia was the second most common condition related to COVID-19 deaths: 18 percent of victims had memory disease.
After that was COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), which covers a number of lung conditions. Almost one in seven victims of COVID-19 had COPD.
About 14 percent of the victims had kidney disease, 10 percent had ischemic heart disease, and 7 percent had asthma.
NHS England said the accuracy of the data depends on the availability and transfer of information by healthcare providers, and that patients may have had more than one pre-existing condition.
It comes after a study warned that more than 8 million people in Britain are at increased risk of dying if they catch COVID-19 due to age or poor health.
But the majority of this group do not consider themselves “clinically extremely vulnerable,” who were asked by the Health Department to “protect” for 12 weeks.
