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. 2021 Jun 28;34(9):1089-1093.
doi: 10.1515/jpem-2021-0153. Print 2021 Sep 27.

Anxiety, depression, and glycemic control during Covid-19 pandemic in youths with type 1 diabetes

Maria Cusinato  1 , Mariangela Martino  1 , Alex Sartori  1 , Claudia Gabrielli  1 , Laura Tassara  1 , Giulia Debertolis  1 , Elena Righetto  1 , Carlo Moretti  1
Affiliations
Free article

Anxiety, depression, and glycemic control during Covid-19 pandemic in youths with type 1 diabetes

Maria Cusinato et al. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. .
Free article

Abstract

Objectives: Our study aims to assess the impact of lockdown during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on glycemic control and psychological well-being in youths with type 1 diabetes.

Methods: We compared glycemic metrics during lockdown with the same period of 2019. The psychological impact was evaluated with the Test of Anxiety and Depression.

Results: We analyzed metrics of 117 adolescents (87% on Multiple Daily Injections and 100% were flash glucose monitoring/continuous glucose monitoring users). During the lockdown, we observed an increase of the percentage of time in range (TIR) (p<0.001), with a significant reduction of time in moderate (p=0.002), and severe hypoglycemia (p=0.001), as well as the percentage of time in hyperglycemia (p<0.001). Glucose variability did not differ (p=0.863). The glucose management indicator was lower (p=0.001). 7% of youths reached the threshold-score (≥115) for anxiety and 16% for depression. A higher score was associated with lower TIR [p=0.028, p=0.012].

Conclusions: Glycemic control improved during the first lockdown period with respect to the previous year. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were associated with worse glycemic control; future researches are necessary to establish if this improvement is transient and if psychological difficulties will increase during the prolonged pandemic situation.

Keywords: Covid-19; adolescents; anxiety; depression; type 1 diabetes.

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