Metabolic characteristics in patients with COVID-19 and no-COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia with mild-to-moderate symptoms and similar radiological severity

•In general population the chest CT has low diagnostic specificity for diagnosis of severe COVID-19 pneumonia.•In a retrospective case–control study, we found similar radiological and clinical characteristics in patients with COVID-19 and no COVID-19 pneumonia with mild-to-moderate symptoms.•However, among patients without diabetes HbA1c levels were higher in Covid-19 patients than in no Covid-19 individuals.•We think that an altered balance in glucose homeostasis may facilitate the cellular intrusion of SARS-CoV-2.