Washington [US], Mar 21 (ANI): According to a study, children with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes have a 10 times higher risk of COVID-19-related complications and death than children with well-controlled diabetes.
The study was presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.
“This study shows that keeping diabetic children’s blood sugar under control is more important than ever during the pandemic,” said senior author Manish Raisingani, MD of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children’s Help in Little Rock, Ark Help children with Type 1 diabetes and their families make better decisions about the safety of personal school attendance and other personal activities during this pandemic. “Some data suggest that adults with type 1 diabetes may have a higher risk of COVID. 19 Complications and death, but there is limited research on children. Raisingani analyzed data on children under the age of 18 using an international database, The researchers reviewed data on approximately 2,000 children with type 1 diabetes and COVID-19, and more than 300,000 children with COVID-19 who did not have type 1 diabetes.
The study analyzed hemoglobin A1c levels in children with diabetes. A1c is a simple blood test that measures a person’s average blood sugar level over the past three months. It is the main test to help people manage their diabetes. Higher A1c levels are associated with complications of diabetes. The goal for most people with diabetes is an A1c value of 7 percent or less. Raisingani found that children with an A1c score greater than 9 percent were ten times more likely to have COVID-19 complications than children with an A1c score below 7 percent, indicating well-controlled diabetes. Children with type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 died more often, needed an endotracheal tube to breathe, develop pneumonia, or develop septic shock than children with COVID-19 and without type 1 diabetes.
“Many parents of children with type 1 diabetes wonder whether it is safe to send their child to school during the pandemic,” Raisingani said. “Our results show that if they have a high A1c, the best thing to do is to send them to a virtual school. However, if they are 7% or less, their risk is similar to that of other children without type 1 diabetes.” (ANI)
