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Rise in Type 1 Diabetes in Children Linked to COVID-19 - Up to 72%

Sep, 2022 - By WMR

Children who have been infected with COVID-19 exhibit a noticeably greater risk of acquiring type 1 diabetes, finds a recent study that examined the electronic health data of more than 1 million patients aged 18 and under (T1D).

Children and teenagers with COVID-19 were more likely to acquire T1D six months after their COVID diagnosis, according to researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Research has highlighted that it is uncertain if COVID-19 causes a new beginning of T1D, however, the results indicated a 72% rise in new T1D diagnoses among COVID-19 individuals 18 years of age and younger.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 187,000 kids and teenagers under 20 nationwide have T1D. (CDC).

According to Pamela Davis, type 1 diabetes is seen as an autoimmune disorder. At the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, she has the titles of Distinguished University Professor, The Arline H. and Curtis F. Garvin Research Professor, and Corresponding Author on the study. It mostly happens when the body's immune system attacks the cells that make insulin, blocking it and leading to the condition. The increase in autoimmune responses associated with COVID has been hypothesised, and our current data supports that hypothesis.

Insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes were the prior names for type 1 diabetes. It may happen at any age, however it often manifests in children, teenagers, and young adults. Compared to type 2, type 1 diabetes is substantially less frequent. Actually, only 5–10% of those who have diabetes have type 1. Type 1 diabetes can be successfully managed, but there is currently no cure for it.

The study team examined the de-identified electronic health data of over 1.1 million individuals who were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 between March 2020 and December 2021 in the US and 13 other countries.