Novel appearance of hyperglycemia/diabetes, associated with COVID-19

Abstract

In a recent meta-analysis the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated hyperglycemia was 25%, and that of COVID-19-associated new-onset diabetes was 19%. An association between hyperglycemia or new-onset diabetes and COVID-19 has been suggested. In a recent relevant study of critically and non-critically ill patients with COVID-19, we found that indeed beta-cell function was compromised in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and that these patients showed a high glycemic gap. Nevertheless, one quarter of critically ill patients with no history of diabetes have stress hyperglycemia, a finding which could obscure the prevalence of hyperglycemia or new-onset diabetes that could be attributed to COVID-19 per se .

Endocrine Aspects of ICU-Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

“…One-quarter of critically ill patients without prior history of diabetes have stress hyperglycemia [ 8 ]; the latter is attributed to activation of the HPA axis, increased insulin resistance, and release of proinflammatory cytokines [ 9 ].…”

“…Yet, fairly recently, we observed that in ICU-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and no history of diabetes, beta cell function was overtly negatively affected [ 52 ]. Stress hyperglycemia in COVID-19 patients in the ICU may obscure the incidence of COVID-19-attributable hyperglycemia/new-onset diabetes [ 8 ]. Up to the time of drafting this work, the international registry of COVID-19-related diabetes established in 2020 (COVIDIAB; , accessed on 25 August 2022) has not put forth any of its data [ 53 ]; it would be most interesting to see due to its international scale.…”