The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Type 2 Diabetic Individuals: A Review of Current Evidence

Abstract

As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to cause havoc globally, many people have expressed the hope that things will become easier as more people are vaccinated against the virus. The pandemic has disproportionately affected certain sections of the global population, such as those living with type 2 diabetes, however, and this study thus aims to evaluate the effects of infection on individuals with type 2 diabetes, particularly those who are also smokers. The relevant review was thus done in two sections, one focusing on individuals with type 2 diabetes in general and the other examining people with diabetes who are also smokers. Twenty studies published between 2020 to 2021 were examined with respect to the impacts of SARS-CoV-2 on people with diabetes, including those who are also smokers. In general, people with diabetes were found to be more likely to be hospitalised when infected with SARS-CoV-2, as well as three times more likely than non-diabetics to have extreme outcomes such as requiring intensive care or even dying. The situation is a further 4.5 times worse for people with diabetes who are also smokers, creating profound economic implications faced for society. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 severely affects individuals with diabetes in terms of both health and logistics. A combination of SARS-CoV-2 infection and diabetes makes such individuals more susceptible to severe health outcomes, and these are further exacerbated by comorbidities such as smoking, underlying health conditions, ethnic and racial disparities, and a lack of access to high-quality health care.