Key result
The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant increase in HbA1c levels (from 7.87% to 8.11%) and systolic blood pressure among patients with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Why the study?
Very few studies had explored the effect of COVID-19 on health markers in patients with diabetes.
Does the COVID-19 pandemic worsen health markers in patients with pre-diabetes and diabetes?
Cohort (n=511)
No
Does the COVID-19 pandemic worsen health markers in patients with pre-diabetes and diabetes?
Standardized Mean Difference: 0.11
Absolute Event Rate: 8.11% vs 7.87%
p-value: p=0.015
The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the health markers of diabetic patients, particularly those with higher BMI, highlighting the need for continued care via telehealth when in-person visits are not possible.
Pandemic-linked rises in BP and HbA1c among diabetics may reflect care disruptions; leaves open whether telehealth mitigates risks in future crises.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impacted those with chronic diseases worldwide, especially those with diabetes. Very few studies have explored the effect of COVID-19 on diabetic patients’ health markers. The present retrospective study compared various health markers of diabetic patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients (N = 511) displayed a significant increase in systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), diabetic medications, and dose of insulin (p < 0.05) as well as a decrease in low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (p = 0.04). When patients were stratified by body mass index (BMI), those in higher BMI categories were more negatively impacted during the pandemic than those in lower categories. Results display the impact that COVID-19 had on the general well-being of diabetic patients, and should encourage providers to increase telehealth visits when in-person visits are not possible.
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Patel et al. (2022) conducted a cohort in Pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes (n=511). COVID-19 pandemic vs. Pre-pandemic period (January 2019-March 2020) was evaluated on HbA1c levels (d = 0.11, p=0.015). The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant increase in HbA1c levels (from 7.87% to 8.11%) and systolic blood pressure among patients with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.