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. 2020 Oct;36(7):e33213321.
doi: 10.1002/dmrr.3321. Epub 2020 Apr 13.

Covid-19 and diabetes mellitus: unveiling the interaction of two pandemics

Ernesto Maddaloni  1 , Raffaella Buzzetti  1
Affiliations

Covid-19 and diabetes mellitus: unveiling the interaction of two pandemics

Ernesto Maddaloni et al. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

A novel RNA betacoronavirus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has now been declared pandemic disease by WHO. Guo et al published the first report of biochemical features in patients with diabetes and the further risk that this disease can determine to the progression of Covid-19. Among different cytokines found significantly higher in patients with diabetes compared to those without, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is already increased in conditions of chronic inflammation, may play a more deleterious role in Covid-19 infection. Targeting the overexpression of Il-6 effects with a monoclonal antibody against IL-6 receptor or using Janus Kinase inhibitors may be particularly helpful for treatment of Covid-19 pneumonia in diabetes.

Keywords: Covid-19; diabetes; inflammation; IL-6.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interests related to this manuscript.

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