It has been shown from an early age that the presence of diabetes increases the risk for COVID-19, while negatively affecting the outcome of the disease. Many of our fellow human beings with diabetes, specifically all with type 1 and some with type 2, need insulin therapy. A new study, published in the international journal JAMA Netw Open, investigated possible changes in insulin prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Doctors of the Therapeutic Clinic of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the Endocrinology Department of Alexandra Hospital, Easter Cross (Assistant Professor of Endocrinology), Theodora Psaltopoulou (Professor of Therapeutic-Preventive Medicine), Georgia Kassi (Director of NSS Endocrinology-Diabetes-Metabolism) and Thanos Dimopoulos (Professor of Therapy-Hematology-Oncology and Rector of EKPA) summarize the results of this research.
The study was conducted in the USA and included a sample of 285,343 patients with diabetes mellitus, who were in all types of insulin therapy. They had an average age of 56.6 years and 51.9% were women. Weekly insulin prescriptions between January 2019 and October 2020 were counted electronically in this patient sample. Holidays and public holidays were not taken into account, as well as the week when the COVID-19 pandemic was officially declared in the USA (March 2020). Trends and rates of change in prescribing were calculated using statistical models.
It was found that while the number of insulin prescriptions increased each week before the pandemic by 11 (95% CI 2.8 to 19.3), with the onset of the pandemic a significant decline began. Specifically, in the first week after starting, the average number of insulin therapy prescriptions decreased by -395.6 (95% CI -933.5 to -142.4).
Declining numbers followed throughout the next period as well, specifically an average of -55.3 (95% CI, -78.6 to -32) prescriptions per week compared to the period before the pandemic. The sub-analysis showed that these data of the decrease concerned adults, but not children.
In conclusion, a decrease in the average number of weekly insulin prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic was found. Possible reasons are the reduced contact of patients with doctors, the loss of insurance during the pandemic or the storage of insulin stocks in their home. The fact that this observation does not apply to children also reflects the fact that the majority of pediatric cases are type 1 diabetes mellitus, as well as perhaps the greatest familial susceptibility for younger members with diabetes. As World Diabetes Day approaches, which is celebrated every year on November 14, this study reminds us of the need to ensure that all patients with this chronic disease have access to their health care system and medication.
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