Doctors in Chennai has observed that newly found diabetes in COVID-19 recovered patients is becoming a serious concern. 630 individuals had visited follow-up clinics post-COVID at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and out of them 14 people were diagnosed with diabetes, said the doctors.

This occurrence has also been observed worldwide by experts, trying to understand how COVID-19 could trigger diabetes among those patients who never had the disease before. A senior doctor in-charge of the follow-up clinic said that not a single patient had diabetes during their hospital stay and was only found weeks or a month after recovery. He further said that many people who returned to the hospital with poor health conditions were above 45 years and the people with newly found diabetes post-recovery were aged between 40-45 years. Breathing issues and muscle pain were the common health ailments which the majority of people complained but the diabetes occurrence is something new. Sugar levels check-ups are mandatory as part of COVID investigation. For diabetes patients, insulin shots are given to keep sugar in control during treatment. The reason for people developing diabetes post-COVID recovery at present is not known.

Patients who are given insulin shots are directed to undergo routine check-up for diabetes. Doctors said that the hospital keeps a check on the patients health condition for 14 days after discharge and many patients returned back with some health conditions mostly after two weeks.

Dr V Mohan, chairman of Dr Mohans Diabetes Specialities Centre, said that the high doses of steroids during the coronavirus treatment might be a reason for increasing sugar levels post-discharge. He said that it is not known whether COVID -19 is directly involved in the upsurge of sugar levels but steroids could have an impact. Globally, several studies have highlighted that the immunosuppressive predispositions of steroids can increase sugar levels among patients.

Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, who is a Infectious Diseases Specialist at Gleneagles Global Health City said that this tendency of patients of developing diabetes is seen worldwide. Even patients with mild COVID-19 are developing diabetes later. He further said that he can’t say that the medicine is solely responsible for causing diabetes. He added that intermittent fever, chronic fatigue syndrome, and inflammatory syndrome are broadly observed inmany post-recovery patients. To know the exact reasons for health complications, they need to follow up on more patients. It is a good initiative to have and expand the follow-up clinics.

Source: The New Indian Express