KK College of Pharmacy, Gerugambakam, Chennai, India

Objective: This study aimed to conduct a systematic review about diabetes mellitus and COVID-19 severity, management, and mortality. Materials and Methods: Thirteen studies were included in this review, comprising a total of 1155 COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus as a significant comorbidity. Data regarding patient demographics and the prevalence of comorbidities, including smoking, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and chronic liver disease, were collected. Results: Among COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus, the majority were male (57.1%) compared to females (42.9%). The prevalence of comorbidities in COVID-19 are varied, with smokers accounting for 1-12.6%, hypertension ranging from 8-41.6%, diabetes mellitus ranging from 7.4-70.8%, cardiovascular disease ranging from 1.6-23.0%, chronic kidney disease ranging from 0.7-2.9%, and chronic liver disease ranging from 0.5-4.6%. In comparison to COVID-19 patients without diabetes, a higher proportion of patients with diabetes mellitus were admitted to the intensive care unit (36.8%). Among COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus, the survival rate was significantly higher at 62.2% compared to a lower rate of 13.4% observed among non-survivors with diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: This systematic review emphasizes the significance of diabetes mellitus as a comorbidity in COVID-19 patients, increasing the risk of ICU admission. These findings emphasize the importance of identifying and effectively managing diabetes mellitus as a comorbidity in COVID-19 patients to enhance overall outcomes.