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Review
. 2024 Jan 10:14:1306290.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1306290. eCollection 2023.

Interactions between COVID-19 infection and diabetes

Hassan M Heshmati  1
Affiliations
Review

Interactions between COVID-19 infection and diabetes

Hassan M Heshmati. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused a major pandemic affecting human health and economy around the world since the beginning of 2020. The virus responsible for the disease is "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2" (SARS-CoV-2). It invades the target cells by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). ACE2 is expressed in several organs including endocrine glands. Multiple endocrine and metabolic systems including the endocrine pancreas have been impacted by COVID-19 infection/pandemic. COVID-19 pandemic can promote obesity through alterations in lifestyle (e.g., unhealthy diet and reduced physical activity due to confinement and isolation) leading to type 2 diabetes and/or can directly impair the function of the endocrine pancreas particularly through a cytokine storm, promoting or aggravating type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The increased ACE2 receptors of high adiposity commonly associated with type 2 diabetes and the chronic hyperglycemia of diabetes with its negative impact on the immune system can increase the risk of COVID-19 infection and its morbidity/mortality. In conclusion, there are bidirectional interactions between COVID-19 pandemic and diabetes (e.g., COVID-19 infection can impact diabetes and diabetes can impact COVID-19 infection). The services offered by healthcare systems for the management of diabetes have been adapted accordingly.

Keywords: COVID-19 infection; angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; coronavirus; diabetes; immune system; pandemic.

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Conflict of interest statement

Author HMH is affiliated with Endocrinology Metabolism Consulting, LLC, Hassan Heshmati and Valerie Shaw Endocrine Research.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
SARS-CoV-2. Copyright phonlamai (Kittipong Jirasukhanont)/Depositphotos Inc.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Diabetes negatively impacts several organs. Copyright edesignua (Tetiana Zhabska)/Depositphotos Inc.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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