Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on glucose control of elderly people with type 2 diabetes in Italy

Aims: to evaluate the effect of home confinement related to COVID-19 lockdown on metabolic control in subjects with T2DM in Italy. Methods: we evaluated the metabolic profile of 304 individuals with T2DM (65% males; age 69 +/- 9 years; diabetes duration 16 +/- 10 years) attending our Diabetes Unit early at the end of lockdown period (June 8 to July 7, 2020) and compared it with the latest one recorded before lockdown. Results: There was no significant difference in fasting plasma glucose (8.6 +/- 2.1 vs 8.8 +/- 2. 5 mmol/L; P = 0.353) and HbA1c (7.1 +/- 0.9 vs 7.1 +/- 0.9%; P = 0.600) before and after lockdown. Worsening of glycaemic control (i.e., DHbA1c > 0.5%) occurred more frequently in older patients (32.2% in > 80 years vs 21.3% in 61-80 years vs 9.3% in < 60 years; P = 0.05) and in insulin users (28.8 vs 16.5%; P = 0.012). On multivariable analysis, age > 80 years (OR 4.62; 95%CI: 1.22-16.07) and insulin therapy (OR 1.96; 95%CI: 1.10-3.50) remained independently associated to worsening in glycaemic control. Conclusions: Home confinement related to COVID-19 lockdown did not exert a negative effect on glycaemic control in patients with T2DM. However, age and insulin therapy can identify patients at greatest risk of deterioration of glycaemic control. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.