Children under the age of 18 who had COVID-19 are at an increased risk of developing type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Sunday.
According to two data sources that were examined during the pandemic, children aged 18 years or under with COVID-19 were more likely to receive a diabetes diagnosis within 30 days after the infection unlike those without COVID-19 and those with acute pre-pandemic respiratory infections.
One source recorded a 166% hike in the prevalence of diabetes among minor COVID-19 patients compared to their peers who have not contracted the infection. The second source indicates a 31% increase.
The CDC stated that the association between diabetes and COVID-19 might be attributed to the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on organs harmed by diabetes. Coronavirus might cause diabetes by harming pancreatic cells.
However, the full effect of COVID-19 on new diabetes diagnoses is still unclear. Researchers recommend monitoring children under the age of 18 who recovered from COVID in the following months for the onset of diabetes.
Previous researches among adults indicated that SARS-CoV-2 infections could exacerbate diabetic symptoms while diabetics were at an increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness. The findings also demonstrated that diabetes in adults might be a long-term consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
According to the CDC, these findings highlight the importance of COVID-19 prevention strategies in this age group, and among all age groups, including vaccination for all eligible children and adolescents, and chronic disease prevention and treatment.