USA – Adults over the age of 40 with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (type 1 diabetes) who have COVID-19 are seven times more likely to be hospitalized than children with the same respiratory problem.

Adults, unlike children, experience varying degrees of respiratory symptoms, with older adults and those with diabetes remain highly susceptible of acute respiratory distress syndrome and death.

In contrast, children with COVID-19 rarely develop severe respiratory symptoms and frequently remain asymptomatic.

“People with diabetes are at higher risk for COVID-19-related complications, especially if they are over the age of 40,” the study, which was published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, said.

The researchers examined data from 767 COVID-19 and type 1 diabetes patients from 56 diabetes clinics across the United States. Fifty-four percent were under the age of 18, 32% were between the ages of 19 and 40, and 14% were over the age of 40.

The study discovered that patients over the age of 40 were seven times more likely than the younger group to be hospitalized with COVID-19.

Diabetic patients aged 40 and above with COVID-19 are more likely to have adverse outcomes such as death, diabetic ketoacidosis, or severe hypoglycemia.

When sick with a viral infection, diabetic patients are more likely to develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is most common in people with type 1 diabetes.

DKA can make it difficult to manage fluid intake and electrolyte levels, both of which are important in the treatment of sepsis. Some of the more serious complications associated with COVID-19 include sepsis and septic shock.

“The goal of our study is to prevent poor COVID-19 outcomes for adults with type 1 diabetes and to highlight the need to base health care decisions on data as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves,” said Demeterco-Berggren

Preliminary data presented at the CDC’s advisory panel suggests that vaccine effectiveness may have waned slightly for adults with underlying conditions.

This gap is one of the reasons why health officials have considered booster shots for older adults and immunocompromised persons as soon as possible.

The FDA has given a positive nod for the Pfizer booster for anyone “at high risk of severe COVID-19.” This cohort includes anyone with certain underlying conditions, such as diabetes or chronic lung disease, that put the person at higher risk of getting life-threatening case of COVID-19 infection.

The CDC recommended that people 50 to 64 years old with underlying conditions get a booster inoculation.

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