Understanding the Mechanisms through Which COVID-19 Impacts the Maternal Immune System and its Effect on Childhood Diabetes Development

Abstract

There is limited but emerging evidence about the impact of COVID-19 on people with diabetes. COVID-19 pneumonia is a novel illness rapidly spreading globally, causing disabilities and fatalities. Over the past 2 years, the pandemic's indirect effects on healthcare delivery have become prominent, along with the lingering impacts on those directly infected. Diabetes is a recognized risk factor that increases COVID-19 severity and mortality, as well as complications like acute respiratory distress syndrome and multi-organ failure. Diabetic patients are highly affected due to increased viral cell entry and decreased immunity. Several hypotheses explaining the increased COVID-19 incidence and severity in diabetics were recently proposed in detail. Meanwhile, 20-50% of COVID-19 patients without prior diabetes developed new hyperglycemia or diabetes, suggesting two-way interactions between COVID-19 and diabetes. Further review is required to confirm diabetes as a COVID-19 complication. Diabetes and related complications in COVID-19 patients are primarily due to the acute illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection, releasing glucocorticoids, catecholamines, and pro-inflammatory cytokines known to drive hyperglycemia. This review briefly examines potential mechanisms linking COVID-19 and diabetes, and presents clinical recommendations for better disease management.