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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice 2021; 04(04): 197-201
DOI: 10.4103/jdep.jdep_49_21
Original Article

The impact of lockdown and changes in clinical practice on glycemic control during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of data from the National Diabetes Center, Doha, Qatar

Buthaina Alowainati
Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
,
Zeinab Dabbous
Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
,
Obada Salameh
Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
,
Mohammad Hamad
Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
,
Layla Al Hail
Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
,
Wajeeha Abuheliqa
Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
,
Ibrahim AL-Janahi
Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
,
Amin Jayyousi
Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
,
Mahmoud Zirie
Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
› Author Affiliations
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Introduction: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was associated with international obligations that modified lifestyles and clinical practice. These changes are worrisome for patients with diabetes, as disruption from a routine can have devastating effects on glucose control. This retrospective study aims to assess the impact of lockdown and the efficacy of the instituted changes in patient management on blood sugar control. Methods: Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who received management through telemedicine at the National Diabetes Center over a lockdown period of 3 months were included. The blood investigations that were done for them as part of standard care were reviewed. Results: A total of 509 patients were included. HbA1c slightly decreased in 49.5% of the patients after the lockdown (P = 0.42). Patients who were not hypertensive experienced a significant reduction in HbA1c (adjusted odds ratios [ORa]: 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.39–0.91, P = 0.018) during the lockdown. A significant association between body mass index (BMI) and lower HbA1c level postlockdown was also determined (ORa: 0.95, (95% CI: 0.92–0.98, P = 0.001). A significant HbA1c reduction was only noted in the BMI group of normal weight (mean: 0.46 ± 0.3, P = 0.03). Conclusion: The imposed lockdown due to COVID-19 did not adversely impact the HbA1c level and glycemic control in T1DM and T2DM patients. Inversely, HbA1c improvements were determined in patients with normal weight and blood pressure after the lockdown period.

Keywords

Coronavirus disease-2019 - diabetes - HbA1c - lockdown - telemedicine

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.




Publication History

Received: 21 October 2021

Accepted: 01 November 2021

Article published online:
14 July 2022

© 2021. Gulf Association of Endocrinology and Diabetes (GAED). All rights reserved. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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