So what should I do?
The message, medically, is that if you’re at high risk for COVID complications, keep an eye out for diabetes as well.
And I can talk to my doctor about this? Could this change the care I receive?
Certainly. From a primary care perspective — three years ago, before the pandemic — if you brought up a scenario where you have a rapid pulse in someone who just had a viral infection, the usual differential could be a myocarditis, a pericarditis, something directly from a viral infection area.
Now, three years later, something that wouldn’t even be on that list in the top 20 is probably in the top 5, something called POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), which was very obscure medical condition that was seen only by rheumatologists in certain very rare medical conditions. All of a sudden, it's like everywhere because of COVID.
So you have to keep in mind certain things post-COVID that you wouldn't normally think about necessarily in other infections.
Like if someone came in with a cold, would I be worried about screening them for diabetes two months out? No. Or if they came in even with the flu, would I be worried about screening them for diabetes two months out? No.
But now I know if someone comes in with COVID and it's two months out and they’re having some symptoms that might be suggestive, I should probably think about diabetes.
But that's after a diagnostic, which can help you know if you have contracted COVID-19.
And if, following COVID, I'm diagnosed with diabetes?
Abbott can help. If you are living with diabetes, we have sensing technologies — like the FreeStyle Libre systems — and nutritional products to help you manage your condition.
Good advice. Last thing: Where do we go from here?
Remember, for this study, a lot of these people were infected before vaccination. So does that risk for diabetes still hold true? Or does having a vaccine actually help get you to the point where you have as significant of an immune response?
It definitely is interest generating. Let's see what happens.