Study links diabetes to worse long COVID health outcomes

Maria Elizabeth Rossi da Silva, one of the authors of the studyDiabetes isn't only a risk factor for the acute phase of COVID-19. It's also been shown to prolong recovery time and impair quality of life in the long term. The study makes it abundantly clear that a healthcare framework is needed for this population with diabetes who have been infected with the COVID-19 virus to prevent these survivors from becoming trapped in a cycle of readmissions."

Approximately seven months after being discharged from the hospital, the participants underwent a comprehensive in-person evaluation, which included a physical examination and laboratory tests.

The repercussions of this cascade effect are far-reaching. Among patients with diabetes, the virus severely compromised mobility. Twenty-one percent of these patients reported falls after discharge, nearly double the rate observed in patients without diabetes (11.1%).

She also emphasizes that social inequalities influence disease outcomes. These inequalities include limited access to medical care, stress, unhealthy diets, and lack of time for physical exercise. "Health policies must consider these factors, offering specific follow-up care for patients with diabetes in the post-COVID period," she says.

Another significant finding was that 7.3% of participants without diabetes developed the disease after a COVID-19 infection. However, the researcher believes that while the direct role of the virus in destroying pancreatic cells cannot be ruled out, it is more likely that the infection revealed pre-existing cases or that the severe inflammatory response triggered the disease in people who were already predisposed.

Source:

São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

Journal reference: