Treating type 2 diabetes in COVID-19 patients: the potential benefits of injective therapies

Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2020 Jul 22;19(1):115. doi: 10.1186/s12933-020-01090-9.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared as pandemic by the World Health Organization and is causing substantial morbidity and mortality all over the world. Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease significantly increase the risk for hospitalization and death in COVID-19 patients. Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are both predictors for adverse outcomes in hospitalized patients. An optimized glycemic control should be pursued in patients with diabetes and SARS-CoV-2 infection in order to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 course. Both insulin and GLP-1RAs have shown optimal glucose-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects in type 2 diabetic patients and may represent a valid therapeutic option to treat asymptomatic and non-critically ill COVID-19 diabetic patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cytokine storm; GLP-1RAs; Hyperglycemia; Insulin; Type 2 diabetes.

Publication types

  • Editorial

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Blood Glucose / drug effects*
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • COVID-19
  • Clinical Decision-Making
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / diagnosis
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / epidemiology
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor / agonists
  • Host Microbial Interactions
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / adverse effects
  • Incretins / administration & dosage*
  • Incretins / adverse effects
  • Insulin / administration & dosage*
  • Insulin / adverse effects
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Glucose
  • GLP1R protein, human
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Incretins
  • Insulin