2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

Type 2 diabetes

Virology

Endocrinology

Glycation

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Outbreak

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Immunology

Immune system

Insulin resistance

Inflammation

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Internal medicine

Type 1 diabetes

Coronavirus Infections

Medicine

Tumor necrosis factor alpha

Disease

Adipose tissue

Glucose homeostasis

Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice

In general, people with diabetes are at higher risk to develop complications when they are infected with a virus. Type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes, is associated with a low grade chronic inflammation induced by the excessive visceral adipose tissue. This inflammatory status affects the homeostatic glucose regulation and peripheral insulin sensitivity. Chronic hyperglycemia and inflammation can cause an abnormal and ineffective immune response. This complex and multifactorial pathway includes a decreased mobilization of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, chemotaxis, and phagocytic activity, lower secretion of cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-6 in response to lipopolysaccharides, inhibition of Tumor Necrosis Alpha (TNFα) activity by T-cells and glycation of immunoglobulin.

COVID-19 and diabetes: Can DPP4 inhibition play a role?