The Impact of Partial Lockdown During COVID-19 Pandemic on Metabolic Control in People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to determine the effects of lockdown due to COVID-19 on the metabolic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This cross-sectional study (Ecological trend study) was conducted based on the medical records of patients with type 2 diabetes between September 20, 2019 and September 20, 2020. The metabolic control changes were evaluated as differences of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), creatinine (Cr), fasting triglyceride (FTG) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) values during pre-lockdown and lockdown periods. The stratified analysis based on age (due to partial closure measures applied over the age of 65) and gender was also performed. Results: There are statistically significant increases between FPG levels and FTG levels in the “during lockdown” group compared to the “pre-lockdown” group (p=0.036 and p=0.013 respectively) while the differences between HbA1c, LDL, cholesterol and creatinine levels are not significant. In subgroup analysis, increases in FPG and FTG levels remained in both <65 years and male groups, but no significant difference in any parameter was found in both ≥65 years and female groups. Conclusion: COVID-19 partial lockdown period negatively impacts metabolic control in people with T2DM according to our study results. Although FPG significantly increased, this increase was not found in HbA1c levels. The worsening was more pronounced in the males and patients <65 years than in females and patients ≥ 65 years possibly because of major changes in lifestyle due to partial lockdown measures conducted in Turkey.