Search

There is a bidirectional relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and diabetes. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed the use of technology in diabetes care. Future research is required to assess the impact of COVID-19 on new-onset diabetes and the influence of diabetes on responses to COVID-19 vaccines., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Diabetes is a risk factor for the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Little is known how the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted diabetes-related acute care. We compared hospitalization rates for severe hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia during the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong (study period: 25 January to 24 April 2020) with those during 25 January to 24 April 2019 (inter-year control) and 25 October 2019 to 24 January 2020 (intra-year control), using Poisson regression analysis. Hospitalization rates abruptly decreased after the first confirmed local COVID-19 case on 23 January 2020, by 27% and 23% compared with the inter-year and intra-year control periods, respectively (incidence rate ratio 0.73 and 0.77, P < 0.001). Hospitalizations were reduced for severe hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, but not diabetic ketoacidosis. This significant reduction in hospitalization rates should alert endocrinologists to take proactive measures to optimize glycemic control of individuals with diabetes., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)