A. Ardestani, K. Maedler
Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has become a major threat for our society at multiple levels. SARS-CoV-2 has spread around the world and as per today more than 30 Million people have been infected (World Health Organization). Although it had been suggested at the beginning of the outbreak that a herd immunity with controlled infections should be achieved, we now know of severe complications initiated by SARS-CoV-2, especially critical for metabolic diseases. While COVID-19 mortality is mainly caused by pulmonary failure, a deleterious bidirectional relationship between COVID-19 and diabetes has been observed in several recent studies (1) such that (i) diabetes and the metabolic syndrome are associated with an up to 50% increased risk of fatal and severe COVID19 for patients with diabetes compared to those who do not have diabetes (2). Furthermore, uncontrolled elevated blood glucose levels are associated with highest COVID-19 mortality rates (3, 4). And (ii) COVID-19 induces severe metabolic complications of pre-existing diabetes such as ketoacidosis and even acute diabetes onset or type 1 diabetes (T1D) (1, 5–9).
Cited by 15 publications.
Field of study: Medicine