Is COVID-19 Behind an Increase in Diabetes Cases?
2022-03-29
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1Scientists are investigating a possible increase in diabetes cases since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
2Diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot control sugars in the blood.
3The scientists want to find out if COVID-19 has a connection with the increase or if it is a coincidence.
4A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently examined two large U.S. insurance databases.
5The databases included information about new diabetes cases from March 2020 through June 2021.
6The study found that diabetes was more common in children who had had COVID-19.
7The report did not look at the difference between Type 1 diabetes, which usually starts in childhood, and Type 2, the kind tied to being overweight.
8Rates of both kinds of diabetes have risen in U.S. children in recent years.
9But reports from Europe and some U.S. hospitals suggest the rates may have increased more during the pandemic.
10Dr. Inas Thomas of the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital said, "I think we're all a little worried."
11Her hospital has seen a 30 percent increase in Type 1 diabetes, compared with the years before the pandemic, Thomas said.
12It is not known how many of the cases had COVID-19 at some point,
13but the timing raises concerns that there could be a connection, she said.
14Type 1 diabetes develops when the pancreas, an organ near the kidneys, produces little or no insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar.
15It is thought to involve an autoimmune reaction.
16That means the body's defense system attacks insulin-making cells in the pancreas.
17Patients must use manufactured insulin to deal with the condition.
18Experts have believed for a long time that some earlier infection may set off that autoimmune reaction.
19With COVID-19, "We don't know if it's a direct effect or some other factor that's not fully understood yet, but we are hoping that this trend may help us figure out the trigger for what causes Type 1 diabetes," Thomas said.
20At Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, Type 1 diabetes cases jumped almost 60 percent during the first year of the pandemic, compared with the previous 12 months.
21Researchers recently reported the finding in the medical publication JAMA Pediatrics.
22Just two percent of those children had had active COVID-19.
23The report did not have information on any previous infections.
24But the sharp increase was striking and "clearly there's a lot more work to be done to try to answer why is this happening,″ said Dr. Jane Kim. She co-wrote the report.
25Type 2 diabetes mostly affects adults.
26It changes how the body uses insulin, leading to poorly controlled blood sugar.
27Causes are uncertain but genetics, too much weight, inactivity and unhealthy eating habits play a part.
28It can sometimes be treated or cured with lifestyle changes.
29Around the world, more than 540 million people have diabetes, including about 37 million in the United States.
30Most have Type 2 diabetes.
31Many more have higher than normal blood sugar levels, or prediabetes.
32Rising diabetes cases might reflect conditions involving pandemic restrictions.
33These could include delayed medical care for early signs of diabetes or unhealthy eating habits and inactivity in people already at risk for Type 2 diabetes.
34A diabetes center at Chicago's La Rabida Children's Hospital has seen an increase in prediabetes during the pandemic.
35Center co-director Rosemary Briars suspects long hours of online learning without physical activity played a part.
36Dr. Rasa Kazlauskaite is a diabetes specialist at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center.
37She said steroid drugs that are sometimes used to reduce inflammation in hospitalized patients with infections including COVID-19 can cause blood sugar increases leading to diabetes.
38Sometimes the condition goes away after steroids are stopped, but not always, she said.
39The physical stress of severe COVID-19 and other illnesses can also cause high blood sugar and temporary diabetes, she added.
40Developing evidence suggests that the coronavirus - like some other viruses - can attack insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
41That process might cause at least temporary diabetes in some people.
42To learn more, scientists in Denmark are getting adults recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes to take part in a study.
43The study group includes some people who had COVID-19.
44Over time, the researchers try to find out whether the condition progresses faster in those who had COVID-19.
45Such a study could help show how or if the infection might affect the development of diabetes, said researcher Dr. Morten Bjerregaard-Andersen.
46He is a diabetes specialist at the Hospital of South West Jutland.
47"The theory is if you had COVID-19, then your own insulin production will be more compromised than if you weren't infected," Bjerregaard-Andersen said.
48I'm John Russell.
1Scientists are investigating a possible increase in diabetes cases since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. 2Diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot control sugars in the blood. 3The scientists want to find out if COVID-19 has a connection with the increase or if it is a coincidence. 4Increase in diabetes 5A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently examined two large U.S. insurance databases. The databases included information about new diabetes cases from March 2020 through June 2021. 6The study found that diabetes was more common in children who had had COVID-19. The report did not look at the difference between Type 1 diabetes, which usually starts in childhood, and Type 2, the kind tied to being overweight. 7Rates of both kinds of diabetes have risen in U.S. children in recent years. But reports from Europe and some U.S. hospitals suggest the rates may have increased more during the pandemic. 8Dr. Inas Thomas of the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital said, "I think we're all a little worried." 9Her hospital has seen a 30 percent increase in Type 1 diabetes, compared with the years before the pandemic, Thomas said. It is not known how many of the cases had COVID-19 at some point, but the timing raises concerns that there could be a connection, she said. 10What causes diabetes? 11Type 1 diabetes develops when the pancreas, an organ near the kidneys, produces little or no insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar. It is thought to involve an autoimmune reaction. That means the body's defense system attacks insulin-making cells in the pancreas. Patients must use manufactured insulin to deal with the condition. 12Experts have believed for a long time that some earlier infection may set off that autoimmune reaction. 13With COVID-19, "We don't know if it's a direct effect or some other factor that's not fully understood yet, but we are hoping that this trend may help us figure out the trigger for what causes Type 1 diabetes," Thomas said. 14At Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, Type 1 diabetes cases jumped almost 60 percent during the first year of the pandemic, compared with the previous 12 months. Researchers recently reported the finding in the medical publication JAMA Pediatrics. 15Just two percent of those children had had active COVID-19. The report did not have information on any previous infections. But the sharp increase was striking and "clearly there's a lot more work to be done to try to answer why is this happening,″ said Dr. Jane Kim. She co-wrote the report. 16Type 2 diabetes mostly affects adults. It changes how the body uses insulin, leading to poorly controlled blood sugar. Causes are uncertain but genetics, too much weight, inactivity and unhealthy eating habits play a part. It can sometimes be treated or cured with lifestyle changes. 17Around the world, more than 540 million people have diabetes, including about 37 million in the United States. Most have Type 2 diabetes. Many more have higher than normal blood sugar levels, or prediabetes. 18Rising diabetes cases might reflect conditions involving pandemic restrictions. These could include delayed medical care for early signs of diabetes or unhealthy eating habits and inactivity in people already at risk for Type 2 diabetes. 19A diabetes center at Chicago's La Rabida Children's Hospital has seen an increase in prediabetes during the pandemic. Center co-director Rosemary Briars suspects long hours of online learning without physical activity played a part. 20Dr. Rasa Kazlauskaite is a diabetes specialist at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center. She said steroid drugs that are sometimes used to reduce inflammation in hospitalized patients with infections including COVID-19 can cause blood sugar increases leading to diabetes. Sometimes the condition goes away after steroids are stopped, but not always, she said. 21The physical stress of severe COVID-19 and other illnesses can also cause high blood sugar and temporary diabetes, she added. 22Does the virus have an effect on insulin production? 23Developing evidence suggests that the coronavirus - like some other viruses - can attack insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. That process might cause at least temporary diabetes in some people. 24To learn more, scientists in Denmark are getting adults recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes to take part in a study. The study group includes some people who had COVID-19. 25Over time, the researchers try to find out whether the condition progresses faster in those who had COVID-19. Such a study could help show how or if the infection might affect the development of diabetes, said researcher Dr. Morten Bjerregaard-Andersen. He is a diabetes specialist at the Hospital of South West Jutland. 26"The theory is if you had COVID-19, then your own insulin production will be more compromised than if you weren't infected," Bjerregaard-Andersen said. 27I'm John Russell. 28Lindsey Tanner reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. 29__________________________________________________________________ 30Words in This Story 31coincidence - n. the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection 32autoimmune -adj. of or related to the system that protects the body against infection and disease 33factor -n. something that helps produce or influence a result; one of the things that cause something to happen 34trend - n. a general direction of change 35reflect - v. to show (something) : to make (something) known 36theory - n. an idea that is suggested or presented as possibly true but that is not known or proven to be true