Could COVID-19 trigger new-onset diabetes?
Monday, 22 June, 2020
Global clinical observations have revealed a bidirectional relationship between COVID-19 and diabetes: diabetes is associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 severity and mortality (20鈥30% of patients with COVID-19 who died have been reported to have diabetes). Conversely, new-onset diabetes and atypical metabolic complications of pre-existing diabetes, including life-threatening ones, have been observed in people with COVID-19.
Emerging evidence suggests that COVID-19 may actually trigger the onset of diabetes in healthy people and also cause severe complications of pre-existing diabetes.
A letter published in the 鈥 signed by an international group of 17 leading diabetes experts involved in the project, a collaborative international research initiative 鈥 announced the establishment of a Global Registry of new cases of diabetes in patients with COVID-19.
The Registry aims to understand the extent and characteristics of diabetes in patients with COVID-19, and identify strategies for treating and monitoring affected patients.
It is still unclear how SARS-Cov-2 impacts diabetes. Previous research has shown that ACE-2, the protein that binds to SARS-Cov-2 allowing the virus to enter human cells, is not only located in the lungs but also in organs and tissues involved in glucose metabolism such as the pancreas, the small intestine, the fat tissue, the liver and the kidney. Researchers hypothesise that by entering these tissues, the virus may cause multiple and complex dysfunctions of glucose metabolism. It has also been known for many years that virus infections can precipitate type 1 diabetes.
Professor of Metabolic Surgery at Francesco Rubino (co-lead investigator of the CoviDiab Registry project said, 鈥淒iabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases and we are now realising the consequences of the inevitable clash between two pandemics.
鈥淕iven the short period of human contact with this new coronavirus, the exact mechanism by which the virus influences glucose metabolism is still unclear and we don鈥檛 know whether the acute manifestation of diabetes in these patients represent classic type 1, type 2 or possibly a new form of diabetes.鈥
Paul Zimmet, Professor of Diabetes at , Melbourne, Honorary President of the and co-lead investigator in the CoviDiab Registry project, said, 鈥淲e don鈥檛 yet know the magnitude of the new-onset diabetes in COVID-19 and if it will persist or resolve after the infection; and if so, whether or not COVID-19 increases risk of future diabetes.
鈥淏y establishing this Global Registry, we are calling on the international medical community to rapidly share relevant clinical observations that can help answer these questions.鈥
Professor of Diabetes Research at King鈥檚 College London and co-investigator of the CoviDiab Registry project Stephanie Amiel said, 鈥淭he registry focuses on routinely collected clinical data that will help us examine insulin secretory capacity, insulin resistance and autoimmune antibody status to understand how COVID-19-related diabetes develops, its natural history and best management.
鈥淪tudying COVID-19-related diabetes may uncover novel mechanisms of disease.鈥
Victoria's Q3 median ED wait times the lowest on record
Victoria's quarter three performance data (January–March) has shown improvement across...
Irregularities in a clinician's cases prompt 15-month lookback
St Vincent's 黑料吃瓜群网 Sydney has detailed a 15-month lookback review — prompted by...
Two researchers receive $899,000 in cardiovascular funding
In heart-related news this Heart Week (5–11 May), two University of Newcastle researchers...