COVID-19 infection in high-risk youngsters and children has almost doubled the rate of progression to type-1 diabetes, a recent study has said. The research, led by Helmholtz Munich in Germany showed blood sugar levels among kids shot up during the pandemic compared with those not infected with the virus.

The review said the risk of developing type 1 diabetes was 48 per cent higher and type 2 diabetes 70 per cent higher after SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and progression to type 1 diabetes in people already at high risk for the disease, defined as positive results for two or more autoantibodies linked to the condition, was less clear.

The results of a study of 509 children aged one to sixteen years at high risk of developing type 1 diabetes, were published in the medical journal JAMA by Dr. Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, a professor at Helmholtz Munich. According to the study, which started assessing the kids on March 01, 2020, 57 of the participants developed type 1 diabetes before the pandemic and 113 during the pandemic period. This translated to a pre-pandemic incidence rate of type 1 diabetes of 6.4 per 100 person-years vs 12.1 in the pandemic period.

In children with a known SARS-CoV-2 infection during the pandemic, the incidence rate of type 1 diabetes was 14 per 100 person-years versus 8.6 per 100 person-years in those who tested negative for infection.

“The findings are consistent with previously reported acceleration of progression in children with presymptomatic type 1 diabetes by viral infection,” Dr. Ziegler wrote. “Further studies are required to determine whether COVID-19 also accelerates progression to type 1 diabetes in adults and whether vaccination and monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms should be considered for individuals with presymptomatic type 1 diabetes.”

According to the researchers, COVID-19 is associated with inflammation of the pancreas and sometimes acute pancreatitis. The virus is also found in pancreatic cells that produce insulin. Combined with a trend of patients being diagnosed with diabetes after a COVID-19 diagnosis, there has been an increased concern about the infection leading to high blood sugar levels.

Experts say the disease also affects your glycemic function by directly attacking your pancreas and inflammation leads to high levels of blood glucose and changes in the way the body processes glucose. Also, many children may have immunity-related genes, which makes them more likely to get diabetes from COVID-19.

Researchers also pointed out that changes in health during the pandemic – like weight gain and stress can also be the reasons why kids have become more prone to developing diabetes.

Scientists say that SARS-CoV-2 can enter and damage the cells of the pancreas. Once they enter the cell, the virus can cause a series of reactions that harm the cell’s ability to create insulin.

A few early signs of diabetes that you need to watch out for, include:

Doctors say diabetes caused by COVID-19 follows the same diagnosis process as regular diabetes. You can get a blood or urine test done to detect a high blood glucose level.