Blood sugar levels go haywire during and after Covid: Experts
In post Covid-19 cases, the virus was found to have affected their pancreas, specifically the beta cells which control the blood sugar levels in the system, some experts from Kanpur said.
The post treatment stress and use of steroids keeps the sugar levels high. This has no connection to the history of diabetes, but certainly to the level of stress and dose of steroid
PROF KAUSER USMAN,
Senior faculty, department of medicine at KGMU
The Covid-19 infection was disturbing the sugar levels of patients in an alarming manner when they were under treatment in hospitals and even after they were discharged, experts in Lucknow and Kanpur said.
In post Covid-19 cases, the virus was found to have affected their pancreas, specifically the beta cells which control the blood sugar levels in the system, some experts from Kanpur said.
As a result, the patients’ sugar levels went haywire, said the doctors who claimed the number of such Covid-recovered patients was increasing. Their sugar levels were between 300 and 400, not coming down despite changes in dosage and new treatment protocols, the doctors added.
Dr Braj Mohan, an expert on diabetes, said the blood sugar levels of many of his patients were under control before they contracted the virus.
But after they recovered, it was found the virus clearly impacted the beta cells and this resulted in high blood sugar levels.
“The pancreas is a small but an important organ in the body. If its beta cells get damaged, the possibility of healing is always tough. So, in a way, these cells are more sensitive than the lungs,” he said.
“In case there is a problem in the lungs, there are medicines and other ways to treat the condition, but the same cannot be said about the pancreas. The options are very limited. That is why we are having such cases. Doctors are treating such patients with little success at the moment,” he said.
“Known diabetics and those in severe conditions get a major jerk (sharp rise) in sugar levels with Covid. It takes the sugar level to dangerous levels,” said Dr D Himanshu, who has been looking after the coronavirus patients ever since the Covid ward was set up at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow.
“Covid is known to cause pancreatic attack. Also, any infection or stress causes the sugar level to rise,” Dr Himanshu explained. He said majority of the Covid patients in a serious condition were facing the problem of high sugar levels. The problem continued even after the patients were discharged from hospital.
“The post treatment stress and use of steroids for some days keeps the sugar levels high. This has no connection to the history of diabetes, but certainly to the level of stress and dose of steroid,” said Prof Kauser Usman, senior faculty, department of medicine at KGMU.
Dr Mahendra Varma, senior physician with Kanpur’s government-run Lala Lajpat Rai hospital, said: “There are patients, whose blood sugar level has not come under control even two or three months after recovery (from Covid-19). In most of the cases, it is between 300 and 400.”
Chief medical officer, Kanpur, Dr AK Mishra, too, said the adverse after-effects of this virus were now being closely examined. The health department is preparing a database of patients’ issues post recovery.
“Our specialists will monitor these patients in connection with their post recovery problems and help them. This issue of beta cells getting damaged is one of them. We are lining up an expert panel to look into it,” he said.