The human pancreas is a target of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Following SARS-CoV-2 infections, reduced numbers of insulin secretory granules in beta cells and impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion have been observed.

To add further value, a recent study suggests that individuals with COVID 19 had increased type 2 diabetes incidence than patients with acute upper respiratory tract infections (AURI). The study findings were published in the journal Diabetologia on March 16, 2022.

New-onset hyperglycaemia or high blood sugar and insulin resistance have been reported in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) without a history of diabetes. However, it is unclear whether such metabolic alterations are transient or whether individuals with Covid-19 have an increased future risk of persisting diabetes. Therefore, Dr Wolfgang Rathmann and his team conducted a study to investigate diabetes incidence after infection with Covid-19. Individuals with AURI, which are frequently caused by viruses, were selected as a non-exposed control group.
In a retrospective cohort analysis of the Disease Analyzer, the researchers assessed a representative panel of 1171 primary care physicians' practices throughout Germany between March 2020 and January 2021, with follow-up through July 2021. They evaluated health records of 35,865 adults with COVID-19 without baseline diabetes, propensity score-matched (1:1) by demographic and clinical characteristics with individuals who had AURI. They determined newly diagnosed diabetes based on ICD-10 codes (type 2 diabetes: E11; other forms of diabetes: E12–E14) during follow-up until July 2021 (median for Covid-19, 119 days; median for AURI 161 days). They used regression models to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for type 2 diabetes and other forms of diabetes.
Key findings of the study:
During an average follow-up of 119 days for COVID-19 and 161 days for AURI, the researchers observed that the numbers of hospitalisations were similar in both groups.
They noted that after propensity score matching, demographic and clinical characteristics were similar in 35,865 AURI controls.
They found that individuals with Covid-19 had an increased type 2 diabetes incidence compared with AURI (15.8 vs 12.3 per 1000 person-years) with an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 1.28.
This shows that the relative risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the COVID group was 28% higher than in the AURI group.
They noted that the IRR was not increased for other forms of diabetes.
The authors concluded, "The present primary care study indicates a temporal relationship between mostly mild Covid-19 and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. If confirmed, this study supports the potential relevance of active monitoring of glucose dysregulation after recovery from mild forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection."