Effects of COVID-19 on Dutch diabetes care

Aims The COVID-19 pandemic impacted diabetes care by reducing diabetes outpatient visits and diabetes-related screening due to healthcare allocation. Yet the impact of COVID-19 on diabetes outpatients has not been extensively evaluated. This study aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of outpatient diabetes care, particularly diagnostics and intermediate outcomes. Methods This observational cohort study included 8,442 diabetes patients in the Dutch Pediatric and Adult Registry of Diabetes (DPARD) visiting diabetes outpatient clinics in 2019 and 2021. A mixed-effects regression analysis was used to examine differences in target achievement of HbA1c, BMI, blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol, eGFR, and the difference in mean HbA1c between 2019 and 2020 among n=1,426 outpatients who visited in both years. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and BMI Results A 22.7% (21.6 - 23.8%, pConclusions The COVID pandemic impacted Dutch diabetes outpatient care by reducing patient volume by 22.7%. Among patients who received outpatient care both before and during the pandemic period, HbA1c control and blood pressure control enhanced during the pandemic. Re-evaluation of current diabetes outpatient care organization is warranted to ensure optimal diabetes care in future times.