Does Pre-existing Diabetes Correlate with Long COVID-19 in Europe? Evidence from the Analysis of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe’s Corona Surveys

Abstract:

Background. A substantial proportion of those infected with COVID-19 are presenting with persistent symptoms, referred to as long COVID-19. Emerging evidence suggests that the presence of pre-existing chronic conditions, such as diabetes, may increase the risk of long COVID-19. Objectives. To investigate whether having pre-existing diabetes increases the risk of developing long COVID-19 in the population of middle-aged and older adults (≥50 years old) in Europe, while assessing if this relationship can be accounted for or is modified by the known long COVID-19 and diabetes risk factors (age, sex, hospitalization, pre-existing hypertension, and weight status).

Methods. A population-based longitudinal prospective study involving a sample of respondents aged 50 years and older () with probable or confirmed COVID-19 infection from 27 countries that participated in both waves 7 and 8 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and its 2020 and 2021 Corona Surveys. Logistic regression modeling was performed.

Results. Overall, 66.8% of the respondents affected by COVID-19 infection reported at least one long COVID-19 symptom; 55.2% were female, and the average age was 64.6 years; 13.2% had pre-existing diabetes. Respondents with pre-existing diabetes had significantly higher odds of developing long COVID-19, compared to those without diabetes (; 95% ). This relationship remained significant (; 98% ) after adjusting for sex ( for females; 95% ), hospitalization for COVID-19 illness (; 95% ), pre-existing hypertension (; 95% ), and overweight (; 95% ) and obese (; 95% ) weight status. The effect of pre-existing diabetes on the risk of long COVID-19 is moderated by age; it was highest at the age of 50 (; 95% ), and then, it declined with age.

Conclusions. There is a relationship between pre-existing diabetes and long COVID-19, even after controlling for literature-based confounding factors, with age having a moderating effect on this relationship.

Source: Sarah Cuschieri, Piotr Wilk, “Does Pre-existing Diabetes Correlate with Long COVID-19 in Europe? Evidence from the Analysis of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe’s Corona Surveys”, Journal of Diabetes Research, vol. 2024, Article ID 7459628, 7 pages, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/7459628 https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jdr/2024/7459628/ (Full text)

Habitual short sleepers with pre-existing medical conditions are at higher risk of Long COVID

Abstract:

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Preliminary evidence suggests that the risk of Long COVID is higher among people with pre-existing medical conditions. Based on its proven adjuvant role in immunity, habitual sleep duration may alter the risk for developing Long COVID. The objective of this study was to determine whether the odds of Long COVID are higher amongst those with pre-existing medical conditions, and whether the strength of this association varies by habitual sleep duration.

METHODS: Using data from 13,461 respondents from 16 countries who participated in the 2021 survey based International COVID Sleep Study II (ICOSS II), we studied the associations between habitual sleep duration, pre-existing medical conditions, and Long COVID.

RESULTS: Of 2,508 individuals who had COVID-19, 61% reported at least one Long COVID symptom. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of having Long COVID was 1.8-fold higher for average-length sleepers (6-9h/night) with pre-existing medical conditions compared to those without pre-existing medical conditions [aOR 1.84 (1.18-2.90), P=0.008]. The risk of Long COVID was 3-fold higher for short sleepers with pre-existing medical conditions [aOR 2.95 (1.04-8.4), P=0.043] and not significantly higher for long sleepers with pre-existing conditions [aOR 2.11 (0.93-4.77), P=0.073] compared to average-length sleepers without pre-existing conditions.

CONCLUSIONS: Habitual short nighttime sleep duration exacerbated the risk of Long COVID in individuals with pre-existing conditions. Restoring nighttime sleep to average duration represents a potentially modifiable behavioral factor to lower the odds of Long COVID for at-risk patients.

Source: Linor Berezin, MD, et al. Habitual short sleepers with pre-existing medical conditions are at higher risk of Long COVID. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Articles in Advance. https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/pdf/10.5664/jcsm.10818 (Full text)