Effects of Hypertension alone and in Comorbidity with Diabetes on the 30-Day Mortality of Inpatients with COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Hypertension and diabetes are common comorbidities in patients with COVID-19 and could be influencing the mortality of such patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of hypertension alone and in comorbidity with diabetes on the 30-day mortality of inpatients with COVID-19 in presence of well-known determinates of COVID-19 death.

Study design: Cross-sectional study design

Methods: Four groups of COVID-19 inpatients including controls, diabetes alone, hypertension alone, and hypertension and diabetes comorbidities were defined. None of the groups had underlying diseases. Demographic and general characteristics, underlying diseases, and hospital course events were extracted from medical records. The outcome of interest death and lived on the 30^th day. Multivariable binary logistic analysis was employed to estimate the effect measure.

Results: Thirty-day mortality among controls (N=1359), diabetes alone (159), hypertension alone (406) and hypertension and diabetes comorbidities (188) were 12.68%, 15.72%, 20.74% and 26.74%, respectively. According to three multivariable analyses after adjusting older age, hospital length of stay, and  ICU admission separately, the odds of 30-day mortality in COVID-19 patients with hypertension and diabetes comorbidities was 1.58, 2.13 and 1.91 times of patients without such comorbidities, respectively (P-value <0.01). The effect of hypertension was also significant after adjusting hospital length of stay and ICU admission but not for older age.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that comorbidities, such as hypertension and diabetes may be associated with COVID-19-related deaths independent of other underlying diseases, older age, and adverse hospital course events.