Medium-term Influence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on Patients with Diabetes: A Single-center Cross-sectional Study

The Impact of a Lockdown for the COVID-19 Pandemic on Seasonal HbA1c Variation in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes may be disrupted due to restricted medical service access and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown period. This retrospective cohort study examined changes of HbA1c levels in adults with type 2 diabetes 12 weeks before and after May 19 in 2021, the date that COVID-19 lockdown began in Taiwan. The mean levels of HbA1c-after were significantly lower than HbA1c-before in 2019 (7.27 ± 1.27% vs 7.43 ± 1.38%, p < 0.001), 2020 (7.27 ± 1.28% vs 7.37 ± 1.34%, p < 0.001), and 2021 (7.03 ± 1.22% vs 7.17 ± 1.29%, p < 0.001). Considering the seasonal variation of HbA1c, ΔHbA1c values (HbA1c-after minus HbA1c-before) in 2020 (with sporadic COVID-19 cases and no lockdown) were not significantly different from 2021 (regression coefficient [95% CI] = 0.01% [−0.02%, 0.03%]), while seasonal HbA1c variation in 2019 (no COVID-19) was significantly more obvious than in 2021 (−0.05% [−0.07, −0.02%]). In conclusion, HbA1c level did not deteriorate after a lockdown measure during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan. However, the absolute seasonal reduction in HbA1c was slightly less during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the year without COVID-19.

How did lockdown and social distancing policies change the eating habits of diabetic patients during the COVID-19 pandemic? A systematic review

Background

After the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments established national lockdowns and social distancing as an effective plan to control this disease. As a result of the lockdown policies, diabetic patients` access to food products, medication, and routine follow-ups is disrupted, making it difficult for them to control their disease.

Methods

International databases, including PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus, were searched until April 2022. All observational studies included assessing the impact of lockdown and social distancing on eating habits (as primary outcome), and glycemic and anthropometric indices (as secondary outcomes) of diabetic patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Scale was used to assess the quality rating of the studies.

Results

Overall, 22 studies were included in this systematic review, the results of which varied in different communities. In most studies, consumption of grains, fruits, and vegetables was reported to increase. On the other hand, consumption of snacks and sweets was reported to increase in other surveys. During the COVID-19 lockdown, most diabetic patients preferred to cook meals at home, using less takeout, fast foods, and alcoholic drinks. Although the patients mostly improved their eating habits, the glycemic and anthropometric indices were contradictory in different studies. Studies showed that the eating habits of diabetic patients vary from country to country, even in some cases and studies done in the same country showed different results. For example, all the studies done in Japan showed an increase in the consumption of snacks and sweets, leading to weight gain in the patients. However, conflicting results in eating habits have been observed in studies conducted in India.

Conclusion

The lockdown policies have led to a beneficial change in the eating habits of diabetic patients to consume more fruits and vegetables and reduce the consumption of animal protein products and alcoholic beverages. While some diabetic patients have increased consumption of snacks and sweets, leading to a disturbance in their glycemic and anthropometric indices control. Understanding the consequences of lockdown and social distancing of the diabetic patient during the COVID-19 pandemic can help public health authorities make better recommendations to improve glycemic control.

Year-long effects of COVID-19 restrictions on glycemic control and body composition in patients with glucose intolerance in Japan: A single-center retrospective study

Aims/Instruction

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, the lockdowns in Europe raised concerns about negative effects on glycemic control and body composition in patients with diabetes. In Japan, voluntary‐based restrictions were imposed as the declaration of a state of emergency (DSE), whose metabolic consequences have not been fully investigated. We carried out a single‐center retrospective study to evaluate changes in glycemic control and body composition in outpatients with glucose intolerance after the DSE.

Materials and Methods

We enrolled outpatients with glucose intolerance: (i) for whom longitudinal data about body composition were available; (ii) who participated in dietary follow up with nutritionists; and (iii) whose laboratory data included glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels before and after the DSE.

Results

Among 415 patients, we found no significant changes in HbA1c overall after the DSE. Bodyweight and fat mass increased significantly, whereas skeletal mass decreased significantly. HbA1c changes after the DSE were significantly correlated with changes in bodyweight and fat mass. In 128 patients whose HbA1c levels increased ≥0.3%, changes in bodyweight and fat mass were significantly larger than those in the other 287 patients. With regard to lifestyle changes, increased snacking was likely to worsen glycemic control (odds ratio 1.76, P = 0.036).

Conclusions

COVID‐19 restrictions in Japan had unfavorable metabolic consequences for patients with glucose intolerance, highlighted by increased bodyweight and body fat, and decreased skeletal muscle. In addition, lifestyle changes, such as increased snacking, might worsen glycemic control. Clinical attention and interventions are required to prevent such metabolic changes.

Metformin-associated Lactic Acidosis with Hypoglycemia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Metformin-associated lactic acidosis (MALA) is an extremely rare but life-threatening adverse effect of metformin treatment. The lifestyle changes associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may increase the potential risk of MALA development in patients with diabetes. We herein report a 64-year-old Japanese man taking a small dose of metformin who presented with MALA accompanied by hypoglycemia secondary to increased alcohol consumption triggered by lifestyle changes during the pandemic. Physicians should prescribe metformin judiciously to prevent MALA development and pay close attention to lifestyle changes in patients at risk for MALA during the COVID-19 pandemic.