COVID-19 Is Linked to Incident Diabetes, May Increase Burden by 5%

On April 18, 2023, a study published in JAMA Network Open analyzing the link between COVID-19 and incident diabetes found that the condition may be linked to increased disease burden. Based on the analysis, researchers determined that SARS-CoV-2 infection increased diabetes burden by 3–5%.

Research conducted a population-based study using the British Columbia COVID-19 cohort. They analyzed data collected between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. All participants had been tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.

The data analyzed in this study used 629,935 participants. The number of infected individuals was roughly one-quarter of the number of non-infected individuals.

Using information from medical visits, hospital records, chronic disease registries, and prescription tracking, the researchers identified patients with incident diabetes — insulin-dependent or otherwise — 30 days or more after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The follow-up ranged from 102 to 356 days, with a median follow-up time of 257.

The investigators identified 608 infected individuals with incident diabetes, roughly 0.5% of the infected participant group. Additionally, the SARS-CoV-2-negative group had 1,864 people who developed diabetes, accounting for 0.4% of that group.

While the percentages may seem similar, the incident diabetes rate per 100,000 person–years tells a different story. The rate for the infected group was 672.2 incidents per 100,000 person–years. Conversely, the unexposed or uninfected group had a significantly lower rate at 508.7 incidents per 100,000 person–years.

Additional insights revealed that the risk of incident diabetes in those with a SARS-CoV-2 infection is roughly 17% greater than in those without the virus. Additionally, male participants had a 22% greater risk of incident diabetes.

Beyond that, the investigators determined that the severity of COVID-19 greatly impacted the risk of incident diabetes, with those admitted to intensive care units or hospitalized having the greatest chance of developing diabetes.

“These results suggest that infection with SARS-CoV-2 may have contributed to a 3–5% excess burden of diabetes, which may be associated with a substantial number of diabetes cases with bearing on healthcare needs for the management of diabetes and its complications,” stated researchers in the study. “Our study highlights the importance of health agencies and clinicians being aware of the potential long-term consequences of COVID-19 and monitoring people after COVID-19 infection for new-onset diabetes for timely diagnosis and treatment.”

Considering the growing data on the long-term and potentially life-changing effects of SARS-CoV-2, it is critical that individuals continue good public health practices and that providers monitor disease incidence and progression.