Associations between reductions in routine care delivery and non-COVID-19-related mortality in people with diabetes in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based parallel cohort study

The effect of COVID-19 on routine diabetes care and mortality in people with diabetes

“…New data, reported by Jonathan Valabhji and colleagues in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 5 provides evidence that people with diabetes were affected by the pandemic in more ways than one. Their results show that pandemic-related reductions in care have increased non-COVID-related mortality among people with diabetes.…”

“…Valabhji and colleagues 5 determined the mortality occurring in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in a defined 15-week period from July to October 2021 (2021 cohort) and compared it with that from the same period in 2019. During the observation period in 2021, there were 30 118 non-COVID-related deaths observed, and in the same period in 2019 there were 27 132; an increase of 11%.…”

“…The study by Valabhji and colleagues 5 is a stark reminder that diabetes remains a serious and potentially deadly disease. The effect in mortality according to completeness of the care processes could remain an issue in pandemic times and beyond if not dealt with appropriately.…”

Unprecedented?

“…1 National Diabetes Audit data suggest that a decline in the number of people receiving the eight care processes following the onset of the pandemic is associated with an increase in non-covid mortality in people with diabetes. 2 Post-pandemic diabetes services have reinstated faceto-face consultation, education and support but have maintained the facility for telephone and video calls in a move that is likely to be the new 'normal', if normality can be regenerated. The concept of normal has always been dynamic, changing and developing over time but coronavirus disease (COVID-19) accelerated the pace of change which has then rebounded, to some extent, to a less extreme position.…”

“…Anecdotally, this pivot to virtual out‐patient services resulted in changes to patterns of attendance and data suggest that measures of glycaemia moved closer to target during lockdown periods in people with diabetes 1 . National Diabetes Audit data suggest that a decline in the number of people receiving the eight care processes following the onset of the pandemic is associated with an increase in non‐covid mortality in people with diabetes 2 …”