The results reported at the European Association of a Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Conference, which was posted online a year, indicate that overall glycaemic management increased significantly in those with T1D.
“As the pandemic unfolded, there were concerns that an increase in remote consultations and the scale back of face-to-face appointments alongside changes in daily life and exercise, and increased feelings of stress and anxiety, would harm diabetes control,” says lead author Claudia Eberle.
Lockdowns Have A Big Impact On Diabetes Control
Lockdown due to pandemic has taught a lot of things to people and among the top things taught, the experts have noted that people have started taking care of their routine health even if they have a minor issue. Those who have diabetes also have started showing some positive signs on this front where they have tried taking more care, yet the situation has worsened.
As per a comprehensive study and meta-analysis of 33 research examining just how diabetic management altered with the commencement of shutdowns in over 4,700 individuals from 10 cities, the impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic on t1d (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are extremely distinct.
“According to our findings, lockdown helped persons with type 1 diabetes better manage their illness. People with type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, paid a high price, with many suffering from deteriorating glycemic control and weight gain, which are linked to a variety of cancers, blindness, amputations, heart attacks, and strokes.”
People with diabetes affected about 9 percent of people age 20 to 79 globally in 2019, totaling approximately 463 million people. T1D is the next more prevalent persistent disease, representing 85 percent of diabetic occurrences in those below the age of 20, and its prevalence is increasing. T1D patients frequently have extremely high blood sugar.
However, because of low insulin concentrations caused by the autoimmune systems targeting insulin-producing healthy cells, individuals cannot utilize most of the carbohydrate levels in the bloodstream. T2D is the most common kind of diabetes, accounting for 90-95 percent of all cases. It leads bloodstream sugar levels to rise excessively high.
“Lockdown measures may have given people with type 1 diabetes more time to look after themselves, allowing them to eat more healthily and keep a close eye on their blood sugar levels. A more ordered routine, especially concerning meal timing, may also have had health benefits”, explains Professor Eberle.
“On top of that, the availability of digital management like telemedicine may have improved contact with healthcare providers, while almost all of the patients in our study had access to digital treatments such as continuous and flash glucose monitoring that track sugar levels in real-time and insulin pumps that provide a steady stream on insulin into the body. These factors may have counteracted lockdown consequences such as less physical activity and the harmful effects on mental health.”
In aggregated trials, increases in glycosylated hemoglobin and time spent in the targeted blood glucose level are also positive. HbA1c levels decreased considerably in 11/25 studies when contrasted to preceding shutdown, with HbA1C levels dropping by a mean of 0.05 percent. In 18 of the 25 investigations, the TIR increased substantially.
According to Professor Eberle, “During the lockdown, people with type 2 diabetes may have developed unhealthy habits, such as eating more snacks, more screen time, and less physical activity.
At the same time, lack of sleep increased stress, anxiety, and restricted access to hospitals and pharmacies may have heightened the difficulty of achieving good blood sugar control. Larger studies in different locations will be needed to identify the actual impact of lockdown in people with diabetes on a broader scale.”
