Studies have shown that the human pancreas can also be a target for SARS-CoV-2 (a serious acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 virus). Decreased insulin-secreting granules in beta cells and impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion have been observed following Covid-19 infection.
In addition, some patients developed insulin resistance after COVID-19 and had high blood sugar, even though they had no history of diabetes. SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to a strong release of pro-inflammatory signaling agents (cytokines). Activation of the immune system may continue for months after SARS-CoV-2 infection and impair the effectiveness of insulin (muscle, fat cells, liver).
So far, however, it has been unclear whether these metabolic changes are transient or whether Covid-19 increases the risk of persistent diabetes. To investigate this issue, researchers from the German Diabetes Center (DDZ), the German Diabetes Research Center (DZD), and IQVIA (Frankfurt) conducted a retrospective cohort study.
The cohort study included a representative panel of 1,171 physician clinics across Germany (March 2020 to January 2021: 8.8 million patients). Monitoring continued until July 2021.
βThe aim of our study was to investigate the incidence of diabetes after SARS-CoV-2 infection,β said the first author. Wolfgang RathmannDirector of the DDZ Epidemiology Research Group.
As a control group, the researchers chose people with acute upper respiratory tract infections (AURIs), which are also often caused by viruses. The two cohorts were compared based on gender, age, health insurance, month of Covid-19 or AURI diagnosis, and comorbidities (obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart attack, stroke). Patients treated with corticosteroids were excluded from the study.
Covid-19 was detected in 35,865 people during the study period.
“Our analyzes showed that Covid-19 patients developed type 2 diabetes more often than AURI patients. The incidence of diabetes caused by Covid-19 infection was 15.8 compared with 12.3 cases per 1000 AURI patients per year. Statistical analysis resulted in a Rath ratio ( The IRR) is 1.28. Simply put, this means that the relative risk of developing type 2 diabetes was 28 percent higher in the Covid-19 group than in the AURI group, “Rathmann summarized the results.
Although type 2 diabetes is unlikely to be a problem for most people with mild Covid-19 disease, the authors recommend that anyone who has recovered from Covid-19 disease be alert to warning signs and symptoms, such as fatigue, frequent urination. and increased thirst and seek immediate treatment.
Source: ANI