Correlation of Diabetic Status and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Patients With Mucormycosis: A Retrospective Clinical Study

Aim: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its association with diabetes might lead to mucormycosis, and studies have reported an association between them. This study aims to find the correlation between COVID-19 and diabetic status in patients with mucormycosis and its role in disease progression and prognosis. The objectives of the study are to analyze the clinical range of mucormycosis in those with diabetes and COVID-19 and to correlate the clinical and radiographic findings.

Materials and methodology: A retrospective cohort analysis was carried out at Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals in Chennai (approval number: IHEC/SDC/OMED-2204/23/218). The data collection was done from the institution's electronic database from April 2019 to April 2023 which included the patients' age and gender and COVID-19 and diabetic status and clinical and radiographic features of mucormycosis.

Results: From the data analyzed, 25 patients had a history of mucormycosis with diabetes and COVID-19 infections. The patients' average age was 47.76, out of which 22 were males and three were females. The chi-squared test showed no significant association between age (0.178), diabetes (0.465), and COVID-19 (0.583). Spearman's correlation was done showing an association between mucormycosis, diabetes, and COVID-19. Radiographically, 100% of the patients had involvement of the maxillary sinus, followed by the palate (32%), orbit (28%), nasal floor (24%), ethmoidal sinus (16%), sphenoidal sinus (12%), and frontal sinus (8%).

Conclusion: The findings of this study point out the importance of considering the presence of systemic comorbidities like diabetes in COVID-19 patients. Early identification, surgical debridement, and antifungal medications are part of the treatment for increased survival.