Chinese experts share treatment of diabetes-affected COVID-19 patients

Shanghai-based leading experts in endocrine and metabolic diseases shared Chinese experience of managing diabetic patients affected by the novel coronavirus through an online live broadcast on Saturday.

Professors, including Wang Weiqing, director of the department of endocrine and metabolic diseases at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Liu Jianmin, a chief physician at the department, spoke in English and interacted with medical experts, doctors and the public in 15 countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Italy, in the hour-long live broadcast which attracted nearly 800,000 viewers.

Diabetic patients are vulnerable to infectious diseases due to high blood glucose levels and poor immune function, said Wang, who is also president-elect of the Chinese Endocrine Society and vice-chair of the Chinese Endocrinologist Association.

"It is reported that the affected population of the novel coronavirus in China have a high prevalence of diabetes, especially among critically ill patients," she said.

Data from the Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan city, which treated cases of the COVID-19, showed that in intensive care units, the mortality rate of patients with diabetes is much higher than others. More than 75 percent patients with diabetes died, she added.

Wang shared Chinese experience regarding medication for such patients. She said for confirmed COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms, they can maintain the former medication. "However, for those in critical condition, we suggested intravenous insulin therapy with regular insulin to keep the blood glucose meet the target."

She emphasized that doctors should also pay attention to not to keeping the blood glucose of diabetic patients with the COVID-19 at very low level as that may trigger cardiovascular problems.

It is important to prevent diabetic sufferers, especially the overweight and obese ones, from being infected with the virus, experts said, as hypoxia and respiratory failure are more likely to occur to such patients.

The Shanghai experts advocated "five nos" and "five keeps" for diabetic patients.

The five nos refer to not going out if unnecessary, no gatherings, no sitting for a long time, no stopping medication, and no anxiety. The five keeps refer to keep wearing face masks when going out, keep hands clean, keep routine medical checks, keep timetable as usual and keep a scientific attitude toward the virus.