Outcome of COVID-19 infection in people with diabetes mellitus or obesity in the primary care setting in Catalonia, Spain: A retrospective cohort study of the initial three waves

AIM: We estimate the incidence and risk factors for fatal and non-fatal events among the COVID-19 infected subjects based on the presence of obesity or diabetes during the initial three epidemiological waves in our region. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. A primary care database was used to identify persons with COVID-19. We stratified for subjects who either had diabetes mellitus or obesity. The follow-up period for study events was up to 90 days from inclusion. RESULTS: In total, 1238,710 subjects were analysed. Subjects with diabetes mellitus or obesity were older and had a worse comorbidity profile compared with groups without these conditions. Fatal events were more frequent among people with diabetes and during the first wave. In the second and third waves, the number of study events decreased. Diabetes was a risk factor for fatal events in all models, while obesity was only in the model adjusted for age, sex, diabetes and COVID-19 waves. HIV, cancer, or autoimmune diseases were risk factors for mortality among subjects with COVID-19 in the fully-adjusted model. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes was an independent risk factor for mortality among people with COVID-19. The number of fatal events decreased during the second and third waves in our region, both in those with diabetes or obesity.