If you are one of millions who had COVID-19, you may have lost your sense of smell and your sense of taste. Whether you are young or old, you may also find that you are a new diabetic, even if you have no risk factors for diabetes. Not only is this a burden on an individual, it is another unexpected burden on our health system. Studies are being done to find out if and how SARS-CoV-2 virus causes diabetes, or if it is a high incidence of undiagnosed diabetics getting diagnosed while sick with COVID-19.
It is thought to be a temporary form of diabetes caused by the stress of the viral infection. High rates of new diabetes in hospital admissions have been documented around the world. Diabetes can develop up to a year after having COVID-19. Similar to smell and taste, studies suggest it may be from an inflammatory process.
Patients who were critically ill showed higher incidence than those with mild cases. One study showed half the participants returned to normal blood sugars and only 8% were dependent on insulin after one year. The mechanism of COVID-19 and risk of diabetes association is still not entirely clear.
