The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) has revealed these results after nationally analysing the outcome of people with type 1 diabetes being admitted to hospital with coronavirus. 

The findings disclose that extreme COVID-19 cases are “reassuringly very low in people with type 1 diabetes who are under 55 years of age without microvascular or macrovascular disease”.

Over a six-month period in 2020, the audit explored the clinical traits of those with type 1 diabetes being admitted to hospital and the dangers linked to critical coronavirus cases.

The data was gathered from 40 centres across the UK, with 196 adults being included in the final dataset.  

The researchers said: “The prevalence of pre-existing microvascular disease and macrovascular disease was 56% and 39%, respectively. The prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis on admission was 29%. A total of 68 patients (35%) died or were admitted to AICU.

“The proportions of people that died were 7%, 38% and 38% of those aged <55, 55–74 and ≥75 years, respectively. BMI, serum creatinine levels and having one or more microvascular complications were positively associated with the primary outcome after adjusting for age.”

They added: “In people with type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 who were admitted to hospital in the UK, higher BMI, poorer renal function and presence of microvascular complications were associated with greater risk of death and/or admission to AICU.

“Risk of severe COVID-19 is reassuringly very low in people with type 1 diabetes who are under 55 years of age without microvascular or macrovascular disease.”

To read the results, click here.

Additionally, a document defining how the ABCD gathered and interpreted the data is also available to access.