The sex-related discrepancy in laboratory parameters of severe COVID-19 patients with diabetes: A retrospective cohort study

•There is a sex-disparity in laboratory data of severe COVID-19 patients with diabetes.•Males showed higher ALT and CRP; whereas females showed higher lymphocytes and MPV.•Males with severe COVID-19 and diabetes tend to have higher MPVLR and CAR.•Diabetic males tend to experience higher inflammatory burden than females.•Sex variable impacts the clinical outcome of severe COVID-19 patients with diabetes. This study aimed at providing evidence to consider sex differences in interpretations of laboratory parameters of severe COVID-19 patients with diabetes. For 118 diabetic patients, laboratory measurements and clinical outcomes were compared between males and females. This study also compared inflammatory ratios obtained from combinations of six inflammatory markers between the two groups. The risk factors for mortality were identified through logistic regression. Males were 54 (45.8%) and females were 64 (54.2%). Males showed a significant increase in ALT (P = 0.003), CRP (P = 0.03), mean platelet volume (MPV)-to-lymphocyte ratio (P = 0.001), and C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (P = 0.044), whereas females had a significant increase in lymphocytes (P