Scientists investigate coronavirus-related diabetes cases

Scientists are still learning about the effects and long-term ramifications of the new coronavirus. A new hypothesis put forward now by researchers is that the virus may cause diabetes among certain patients recovering from Covid-19. The hypothesis was advanced by a team of international researchers in the New England Journal Medicine and is one of the multiple ramifications resulting from infection by the coronavirus.

Beyond causing respiratory troubles, the coronavirus has also shown that it can cause cardiovascular, retinal, neurological, and immunological problems. The virus can affect the cells of the pancreas responsible for insulin production that in some cases can generate and worsen diabetes.

According to the researchers, cases of Covid-19 patients who appear to have developed diabetes soon after being diagnosed with the virus have been reported, as well as people who are already diabetic and have experienced a noticeable worsening of their symptoms. In order to understand exactly what is happening scientists have created the CoviDiab Registry, an online platform to record data on parents with complications connected to diabetes linked to Covid.

According to doctor Rodrigo Moreira, president of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology, the evidence suggests there is an increased risk of severe Covid-19 symptoms due to diabetes and a possibility that the virus will produce or even worse the metabolic problem. While this is still a hypothesis, it is another indication that the health problems caused by the coronavirus will be with us even after a vaccine is found.

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