COVID-19 and Diabetes

Vahid Asgharzadeh; Mir Reza Valiollahzadeh; Zahra Taghinejad; Mohammad Asgharzadeh; Jalil Rashedi; Behroz Mahdavi Poor; Hossein Jalaei Nobari; Ahmad Ali Khalili; Yousof Khairy; Amir Ali Mir Mazhari

doi:10.18502/acta.v61i5.13479

Vahid Asgharzadeh Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Mir Reza Valiollahzadeh Medical Philosophies and History Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Zahra Taghinejad Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Mohammad Asgharzadeh Biotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Paramedicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Jalil Rashedi Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Behroz Mahdavi Poor Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Hossein Jalaei Nobari Department of Islamic Education, Faculty of Paramedicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Ahmad Ali Khalili Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Yousof Khairy Department of Islamic Education, Faculty of Paramedicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Amir Ali Mir Mazhari Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/acta.v61i5.13479

Keywords: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Host risk factors; Diabetes

Abstract

Following the discovery of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in China, it has been transmitted to travelers through respiratory droplets and distributed worldwide. Viral, environmental, and host factors all play a role in getting infected with the virus and having severe forms of the disease named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Diabetes is one of the most important host risk factors in the progression and severity of COVID-19. In diabetes, hyperglycemia and protein glycosylation increase pro-inflammatory cytokines levels and suppress innate and adaptive immune system by impairing the function of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes, especially regulatory T lymphocytes. The compromised immune system in diabetic patients makes them vulnerable to infectious diseases like COVID-19. Correspondingly, people with diabetes are usually treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II Type-I receptor blockers (ARBs), which increase ACE2 expression as a receptor for SARS-CoV-2. Thus, diabetic patients are more likely to develop severe forms of COVID-19 and die due to chronic inflammation and impaired immune function.