Link between diabetes and coronavirus infections | Letters

Dr Tony Hulse and Dr Caroline Ponmani say they are seeing evidence of diabetes being triggered by the virus in children, while JK Cruickshank explains why there is a likelihood of the condition arising after a Covid-19 infection

The possibility that Covid-19 could trigger diabetes (Doctors suggest Covid-19 could cause diabetes, 19 March) fits with the experiences of paediatricians treating diabetic children in London and the south-east. Following the first Covid-19 wave, we undertook a study of 178 children from 12 hospitals in south and north-east London, Kent and Sussex who had developed type 1 diabetes between January and July 2020. We found that the prevalence of newly diagnosed children was high when compared with the levels of type 1 diabetes seen in the previous four years. But two inner south London hospitals had unusually high numbers of children with type 1 diabetes.

The children who had developed diabetes in the pandemic were significantly sicker than before, with a higher level of diabetic ketoacidosis when they arrived at hospital. This did not relate to a delay in coming to hospital. We also know of two children where there was evidence that their diabetes was triggered by a Covid-19 infection. We are undertaking detailed studies as we believe that there may be link between the two conditions; the cause of type 1 diabetes is complex, but it appears that asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic Covid-19 infections may be a trigger factor.
Dr Tony Hulse Consultant paediatric endocrinologist, Evelina London children's hospital, and Dr Caroline Ponmani Consultant in paediatric emergency medicine, Queens hospital, Romford