Adults with diabetes may have increased risk for long COVID
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NEW ORLEANS — Diabetes may be a risk factor for post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, or long COVID, but more research is needed due to heterogeneity between the few studies conducted, according to findings from a literature review.
“This is a review of the existing data on long COVID — and so far, we have limited studies reporting on this,” Jessica L. Harding, PhD, assistant professor in the department of medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine, told Healio. “This is the first review to indicate that diabetes may be a risk factor for long COVID, though it is important to note only three of seven studies reported diabetes was indeed a risk factor, while four of seven did not. We need large cohort studies with long follow-up times across multiple populations to investigate this further.”
Harding and colleagues conducted a scoping literature review of studies analyzing the risk for post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in people with diabetes. Studies including the terms long hauler, long COVID-19, post-acute sequalae and persistent COVID-19 were included. All studies were observational, published between Jan. 1, 2020, and Jan. 27, 2022, and had a minimum follow-up time of 4 weeks after COVID-19 diagnosis.
The findings were presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions.
There were seven studies included in the review. Of those studies, three found people with diabetes had an increased risk for post-acute sequelae of COVID-19. Of the other four studies, one found no difference in impaired pulmonary function or functional impairment in those with diabetes vs. without diabetes during a median follow-up of 3 to 4 months, two others found no difference in the number of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 symptoms in those with vs. without diabetes, and a fourth study found diabetes did not affect post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 risk across all age groups.
“Findings of this review suggest it may be important to identify people with diabetes as high risk for long COVID to allow for additional screening, monitoring, and possible prevention and treatment,” Harding said. “For example, regular monitoring of glucose levels, coupled with the use of glucose-lowering agents as appropriate, may therefore help in reducing and managing long COVID risk.”
Harding said a decisive conclusion cannot be drawn from the findings, however, due to several differences in the studies. While most of the studies were of hospitalized patients, one study included adults with incident COVID-19 cases, another included kidney transplant recipients with a prior COVID-19 infection and a third examined mostly home isolated people with some hospitalized adults. The follow-up time of the studies varied from 4 weeks to 6 months. There were also differences between the studies in the way post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 were defined.
“More high-quality studies across multiple populations and in several settings are needed to determine if diabetes is indeed a risk factor for long COVID,” Harding said.
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Harding JL, et al. 174-LB. Presented at: American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions; June 3-7, 2022; New Orleans (hybrid meeting).
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