The diabetic lung

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic drew our attention to the interplay between pulmonary health and diabetes. The impact of poorly controlled diabetes in worsening COVID-19 outcome is well-recognized. This article explores the broad spectrum of associations between the lung and diabetes. The lung can be the target of organ damage in diabetes, be the origin of a disease process affecting glycaemic status, and also contribute to metabolic complications. Diabetes can be a part of several pulmonary syndromes. Medications used for diabetes can adversely affect the lungs and vice versa. On the other hand, certain glucose-lowering drugs have the potential to improve respiratory function. The close link between diabetes and lung disease calls for a combined approach to managing these conditions.

Keywords: Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, lung cancer, tuberculosis, pneumonia, obstructive sleep apnoea..