Researchers investigated COVID-19 patients with newly diagnosed diabetes in Japan for their characteristics and outcomes.

• Retrospective study of 62 patients with diabetes who were hospitalized for COVID-19; these included 19 (30.6%) patients with newly diagnosed diabetes and 43 (69.4%) patients with preexisting diabetes.

• Overall there appeared a high proportion of COVID-19 patients who are newly diagnosed with diabetes.

• Relative to those with preexisting diabetes, those who are newly diagnosed appeared to be at an increased risk of developing severe disease.

• Researchers advise assessment of blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels in all patients at the point of COVID-19 diagnosis.