In a study from Cedars-Sinai, scientists have confirmed that people who have had COVID-19 have an increased risk for new-onset diabetes—the biggest contributor to heart disease.
The results verify that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes after a COVID-19 infection was not just an early observation but a real risk that has persisted through the omicron era.
The trend is concerning because most people in the United States will eventually experience a COVID-19 infection.
The findings also suggest that the risk of type 2 diabetes appears lower in individuals who were already vaccinated against COVID-19 by the time they were infected.
In the study, researchers evaluated medical records from 23,709 patients who had at least one documented COVID-19 infection and were treated within the Cedars-Sinai Health System in Los Angeles from 2020–2022.
The average patient was 47 years old, and 54% of the participants were female.
The team found the combined risk of type 2 diabetes after COVID-19 exposure—accounting for both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients—was 2.1%, with 70% occurring after COVID-19 infection versus 30% happening prior to COVID-19 exposure.
The risk of type 2 diabetes after COVID-19 exposure for unvaccinated patients was 2.7%, with 74% occurring after COVID-19 infection versus 26% happening prior to COVID-19 exposure.
The risk of type 2 diabetes after COVID-19 exposure for vaccinated patients was 1.0%, with 51% occurring after COVID-19 infection versus 49% happening prior to COVID-19 exposure.
These results suggest that COVID-19 vaccination prior to infection may provide a protective effect against diabetes risk.
Although further studies are needed to validate this hypothesis, the team suggests that COVID-19 vaccination remains an important tool in protecting against COVID-19 and the still-uncertain risks that people may experience during the post-infection period.
These findings broaden the medical field’s understanding of the effects of COVID-19 on the body.
This research is one piece of the puzzle that will help researchers understand how to prevent metabolic as well as heart disease risks in the future.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about new cause of inflammatory cytokine storm in COVID-19, and new antiviral drug may block COVID-19 transmission.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies that not all whole grain foods could benefit people with type 2 diabetes, and green tea could help reduce death risk in type 2 diabetes.
The study was conducted by Alan Kwan et al and published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
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