Does COVID-19 Infection Increase the Risk of Diabetes? Current Evidence.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Multiple studies report an increased incidence of diabetes following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Given the potential increased global burden of diabetes, understanding the effect of SARS-CoV-2 in the epidemiology of diabetes is important. Our aim was to review the evidence pertaining to the risk of incident diabetes after COVID-19 infection.

RECENT FINDINGS: Incident diabetes risk increased by approximately 60% compared to patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection. Risk also increased compared to non-COVID-19 respiratory infections, suggesting SARS-CoV-2-mediated mechanisms rather than general morbidity after respiratory illness. Evidence is mixed regarding the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and T1D. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an elevated risk of T2D, but it is unclear whether the incident diabetes is persistent over time or differs in severity over time. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an increased risk of incident diabetes. Future studies should evaluate vaccination, viral variant, and patient- and treatment-related factors that influence risk.