Undiagnosed Diabetes Exacerbates COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Written by Arushi Sharma
A study published in The Lancet reveals a concerning link between undiagnosed diabetes and severe COVID-19 outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
A recent study published in The Lancet reveals that undiagnosed diabetes significantly contributed to COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths across several low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including India. Supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and FIND, the study focused on eight LMICs: Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Africa.
While previous observations noted higher hospitalization and mortality rates in COVID-19 patients with diagnosed chronic diseases like diabetes, the study delved into the impact of undiagnosed co-morbidities during the pandemic.
Titled 'Estimates of hospitalizations and deaths in patients with COVID-19 associated with undiagnosed diabetes during the first phase of the pandemic in eight low-income and middle-income countries: a modelling study,' the research aimed to estimate the burden of hospitalization and mortality in patients with undiagnosed Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
The study's model estimates revealed that across the eight countries, 6.7 million COVID-19 hospitalized patients had undiagnosed diabetes, resulting in 1.9 million deaths. These cases constituted 21.1% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations and 30.5% of all COVID-19 deaths in the studied countries.
The study emphasized that if these populations had been diagnosed with diabetes before the pandemic, 1.7% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and 5.0% of COVID-19 deaths could have been prevented, with a gain of 1.8 million quality-adjusted life years (QALY).
The findings underscore the importance of understanding risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes and directing targeted investments in prevention and control efforts to alleviate health system burdens during future pandemic waves.
The study also highlighted the escalating burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), urging increased investments in prevention and diagnostics to address the intersection of NCDs and infectious diseases. Specifically, the study emphasized the growing importance of preventing diabetes cases and the timely diagnosis to mitigate future disease burdens.