A Complicated Case of COVID-19 and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome in an Adolescent Male

Abstract

Emerging data demonstrate that comorbid conditions and older age are contributing factors to COVID-19 severity in children. Studies involving youth with COVID-19 and diabetes are lacking. We report the case of a critically ill adolescent male with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and COVID-19 who presented with hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS). This case highlights a challenge for clinicians in distinguishing severe complications of COVID-19 from those seen in HHS. Youth with obesity and type 2 diabetes may represent a high-risk group for severe COVID-19 disease, an entity that to date has been well-recognized in adults but remains rare in children and adolescents.