Open Access, Volume 2
Severe COVID pneumonia complicated with transient Diabetc
ketoacidosis in a diabetes-naive patent: A case report
and literature review
Case Report
www.jcimcr.org
Journal of
Clinical Images and Medical Case Reports
Received: Aug 05, 2021
Accepted: Sep 10, 2021
Published: Sep 17, 2021
Archived: www.jcimcr.org
Copyright: © Kumarihamy P (2021).
*Corresponding Author: Prabhashini Kumarihamy
Consultant Physician, Base Hospital, Teldeniya,
Sri Lanka.
Email: prabhashinikumarihamy@yahoo.com
ISSN 2766-7820
Ashani Ratnayake
1
; Prabhashini Kumarihamy
2
*; Sujeewa Gunaratne
2
; Hiranya Abeysinghe
2
; Navoda Wickramasinghe
3
1
Consultant Anaesthetc, Specialised COVID 19 treatment unit , Base Hospital, Teldeniya, Sri Lanka.
2
Consultant Physician, Specialised COVID 19 treatment unit, Base Hospital, Teldeniya, Sri Lanka.
3
Research Assistant, Specialised COVID 19 treatment unit, Base Hospital Teldeniya, Sri Lanka.
Abstract
A very few cases with Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) inducing
Diabetc ketoacidosis in non-diabetc patents are reported. Hyper-
glycaemia caused by transient damage to pancreatc cells by the virus
and cytokine storm is identfed as the underlying pathophysiology.
Here, we present a patent who presented with transient Diabetc
ketoacidosis while being treated for COVID-19 pneumonia and is
the frst reported case in Sri Lanka as per literature. We highlight the
approach to diagnosis, monitoring and management of this patent
which was challenging for the treatng physician.
Case: A 34-year-old previously well Sri Lankan male presented with
severe covid pneumonia. He was found to have diabetc ketoacidosis
and managed as per protocol with fuid and insulin. His glycosylated
haemoglobin was normal. Even though his Covid pneumonia wors-
ened leading to death, he recovered from diabetc ketoacidosis and
did not require exogenous insulin later in the course of the illness.
Conclusion: Transient hyperglycemia with ketoacidosis, such as in
our patent, associated with Covid infecton has been reported very
rarely in the literature. The treatng physician should have a high in-
dex of suspicion to diagnose these types of patents and to manage
them tmely. Otherwise, it will be an added but a preventable factor
to increase mortality in patents with Covid pneumonia.
Keywords: coronavirus disease; COVID-19; non-diabetes; diabetes-
naive; hyperglycemia; diabetc ketoacidosis.
Abbreviatons: COVID -19: Coronavirus Disease; Fio2: Fracton Of In-
spired Oxygen; Pao2: Partal Pressure Of Oxygen; Paco2- Partal Pres-
sure Of Carbon Dioxide; HCO3: Bi Carbonate, DKA: Diabetc Ketoaci-
dosis; IV: Intra Venous; KCL: Potassium Chloride; VBG: Venous Blood
Gas; ICU: Intensive Care Unit; HFNO: High Flow Nasal Oxygen; NIV;
Non-Invasive Ventlaton; PEEP: Positve End-Expiratory Pressure;
CRP: C-Reactve Protein; ARDS: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome;
ECMO: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenaton; ACE-2: Angiotensin
Convertng Enzyme-2; TNF-Α: Tumour Necrosis Factor; IL-6- Interleu-
kin 6.