Deaths in diabetes sufferers ‘rose sharply’ through the Covid-19 pandemic

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According to researchers, mortality among patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes increased significantly in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic in the UK.

According to the authors of the study from NHS England and NHS Improvement, cardiovascular and renal complications as well as blood sugar control and body mass index were factors in the trend.

They found that diabetes had already been linked to increased mortality associated with Covid-19, but the association with modifiable risk factors was previously unclear.

The study authors identified the weekly number of deaths in people with diabetes in the first 19 weeks of 2020 and calculated the percentage change from the mean number of deaths in the corresponding weeks in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

They then examined in detail the connections between risk factors and Covid-19-related mortality in the period from February 16 to May 11 last year.

Weekly deaths in the first 19 weeks of 2020 were 672 or 50.9% above the corresponding three-year average in people with type 1 diabetes and 16,071 or 64.3% in people with type 2 diabetes.

“This research is a clear reminder that people with diabetes are disproportionately affected by coronavirus.”

Lucy Chambers

Among 264,390 people with type 1 and 2,874,020 people with type 2, 1,604 people with type 1 diabetes and 36,291 people with type 2 diabetes died from all reasons, the researchers said.

Of these, 464 in people with type 1 and 10,525 in people with type 2 were defined as Covid-19-related, of which 289 and 5,833 occurred in people with a history of cardiovascular disease or kidney dysfunction.

The study’s authors said, “Deaths among people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes rose sharply during the initial Covid-19 pandemic.

“Increased Covid-19-related mortality has been linked not only to cardiovascular and renal complications of diabetes, but independently blood sugar control and BMI,” they added.

The results of the study were presented at this year’s Diabetes UK Professional Conference, which will be held practically between April 19 and 30.

Dr. Lucy Chambers, Head of Research Communications at Diabetes UK, said: “This study is a strong reminder that people with diabetes are disproportionately affected by coronavirus and that many people with the disease have sadly died as a result.

“It also builds on evidence that people with diabetes in the past were at greater risk of developing serious illnesses if they contract the virus.

“The most important thing anyone with diabetes can do to reduce their risk is to avoid contracting the virus in the first place,” she noted.