<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Objective</bold>: The study aimed to evaluate the metabolic control during the COVID-19 pandemic in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and whether care through telemedicine significantly impacted it.
<bold>Material and methods:</bold> This was a retrospective study for which three time-periods were prespecified: the COVID-19 pandemic period, pre-COVID-19 period, and before pre-COVID-19. The following information were collected: anthropometric and laboratory parameters (glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood glucose, lipid profile, creatinine, eGFR, etc.), self-measured blood glucose (SMBG), blood pressure (BP), diabetes therapy, number of on-site and of telemedicine consultations. The mean values of all available measurements for HbA1c, SMBG, BP, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were calculated.
<bold>Results</bold>: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HbA1c values increased (6.78±0.77% to 6.96±0.87%, p&lt;0.0001; + 0.18±0.67%), despite treatment intensification (p&lt;0.01), while BMI and total cholesterol values slightly decreased (32.01±5.5 kg/m2 to 31.7±5.4 kg/m2, p&lt;0.0001, and 178.1±40.8 mg/dl to 170.5±38.4 mg/dl, p&lt;0.05). The deterioration of glycemic control (to HbA1c >7%) were rather seen in males (to 7.01±0.92%, p&lt;0.0001), patients from rural areas (to 7.08±0.96%, p&lt;0.001) and younger than 65 y.o. (to 7.05±0.82%, p&lt;0.001). More male patients had a mean HbA1c increase of >0.5% during the COVID-19 pandemic (32.3% vs 21.5%, p&lt;0.05). Patients who received more diabetes care visits through telemedicine had a more attenuated increase in HbA1c (6.79±0.80% to 6.90±0.83%, p&lt;0.05 vs 6.76±0.72% to 7.08±0.92%, p&lt;0.0001).
<bold>Conclusions</bold>: The glycemic control slightly deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic (but with overall HbA1c within target), with certain patient categories being more affected. Diabetes care though telemedicine allowed the maintenance of the metabolic control.
</abstract>

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the metabolic control during the COVID-19 pandemic in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and whether care through telemedicine significantly impacted it.
Material and methods: This was a retrospective study for which three time-periods were prespecified: the COVID-19 pandemic period, pre-COVID-19 period, and before pre-COVID-19. The following information were collected: anthropometric and laboratory parameters (glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood glucose, lipid profile, creatinine, eGFR, etc.), self-measured blood glucose (SMBG), blood pressure (BP), diabetes therapy, number of on-site and of telemedicine consultations. The mean values of all available measurements for HbA1c, SMBG, BP, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were calculated.
Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HbA1c values increased (6.78±0.77% to 6.96±0.87%, p<0.0001; + 0.18±0.67%), despite treatment intensification (p<0.01), while BMI and total cholesterol values slightly decreased (32.01±5.5 kg/m2 to 31.7±5.4 kg/m2, p<0.0001, and 178.1±40.8 mg/dl to 170.5±38.4 mg/dl, p<0.05). The deterioration of glycemic control (to HbA1c >7%) were rather seen in males (to 7.01±0.92%, p<0.0001), patients from rural areas (to 7.08±0.96%, p<0.001) and younger than 65 y.o. (to 7.05±0.82%, p<0.001). More male patients had a mean HbA1c increase of >0.5% during the COVID-19 pandemic (32.3% vs 21.5%, p<0.05). Patients who received more diabetes care visits through telemedicine had a more attenuated increase in HbA1c (6.79±0.80% to 6.90±0.83%, p<0.05 vs 6.76±0.72% to 7.08±0.92%, p<0.0001).
Conclusions: The glycemic control slightly deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic (but with overall HbA1c within target), with certain patient categories being more affected. Diabetes care though telemedicine allowed the maintenance of the metabolic control.

The metabolic control and laboratory evaluation in patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of telemedicine: a single-center experience

George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureş

Revista Romana de Medicina de Laborator

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the metabolic control during the COVID-19 pandemic in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and whether care through telemedicine significantly impacted it.
Material and methods: This was a retrospective study for which three time-periods were prespecified: the COVID-19 pandemic period, pre-COVID-19 period, and before pre-COVID-19. The following information were collected: anthropometric and laboratory parameters (glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood glucose, lipid profile, creatinine, eGFR, etc.), self-measured blood glucose (SMBG), blood pressure (BP), diabetes therapy, number of on-site and of telemedicine consultations. The mean values of all available measurements for HbA1c, SMBG, BP, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were calculated.
Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HbA1c values increased (6.78±0.77% to 6.96±0.87%, p7%) were rather seen in males (to 7.01±0.92%, p0.5% during the COVID-19 pandemic (32.3% vs 21.5%, p<0.05). Patients who received more diabetes care visits through telemedicine had a more attenuated increase in HbA1c (6.79±0.80% to 6.90±0.83%, p<0.05 vs 6.76±0.72% to 7.08±0.92%, p<0.0001).
Conclusions: The glycemic control slightly deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic (but with overall HbA1c within target), with certain patient categories being more affected. Diabetes care though telemedicine allowed the maintenance of the metabolic control.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the metabolic control during the COVID-19 pandemic in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and whether care...

The metabolic control and laboratory evaluation in patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of telemedicine: a single-center experience

Published Online: Feb 08, 2023

Page range: 43 - 50

Received: Oct 19, 2022

Accepted: Nov 17, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rrlm-2023-0002

Keywords
type 2 diabetes, COVID-19, telemedicine

© 2023 Corina Roxana Onea et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The metabolic control and laboratory evaluation in patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of telemedicine: a single-center experience

Published Online: Feb 08, 2023

Page range: 43 - 50

Received: Oct 19, 2022

Accepted: Nov 17, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rrlm-2023-0002

Keywordstype 2 diabetes, COVID-19, telemedicine

© 2023 Corina Roxana Onea et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
type 2 diabetes, COVID-19, telemedicine