RECENT findings reveal a concerning link between COVID-19 and increased risk of new Type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnoses in children and adolescents, published after an extensive review of 613,602 cases of young patients aged 10–19 years.
The retrospective study, conducted on data from the TriNetX analytics platforms spanning January 2020–December 2022, compared two equally sized groups of children and adolescents: 306,801 who had COVID-19 and 306,801 who experienced other respiratory infections (ORI) without COVID-19. The mean age in both groups was around 14.9 years, with a nearly even gender distribution. Researchers matched cases by age, sex, and other factors to ensure reliable comparisons between the COVID-19 group and the ORI group.
Statistical analysis showed that children with COVID-19 faced a notably higher risk of developing T2D over time. At 1 month post-infection, the risk ratio of developing diabetes was 1.55 (95% CI: 1.28–1.89); at 3 months, it was 1.48 (95% CI: 1.24–1.76); and at 6 months, the RR rose to 1.58 (95% CI: 1.35–1.85). The risk was even more pronounced in children classified as overweight or obese, with the risk ratio peaking at 2.27 at 6 months, and in those hospitalised for COVID-19, where the risk ratio was 3.10 at 1 month.
These data highlight a significant link between SARS-CoV-2 and the development of T2D in children and adolescents, emphasising the potential impact on healthcare decisions for young patients. Further research is planned to investigate whether these new-onset diabetes cases persists or reverse later in life, offering insights into both the short- and long-term health impacts of COVID-19 on younger populations.
Reference
Miller MG et al. SARS-CoV-2 infection and new-onset type 2 diabetes among pediatric patients, 2020 to 2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(10):e2439444.
