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

AIM: This study aimed at providing evidence to consider sex differences in interpretations of laboratory parameters of severe COVID-19 patients with diabetes. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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 < 0.005) and MPV (P = 0.01). In all participants, multivariate analysis illustrated that older age, male sex, increased serum total bilirubin, and decreased PO(2) were significant independent predictors of mortality (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In severe COVID-19 patients with diabetes, there were significant sex differences in many laboratory characteristics with a higher risk of mortality among males.