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Diabetes associated eye disease linked to 5-fold risk of severe Covid-19, study

Diabetes associated eye disease linked to 5-fold risk of severe Covid-19, study
कांग्रेसी नेता अहमद पटेल का कोरोना वायरस से निधन, एक माह पहले हुए थे संक्रमित

A study found that people suffering from health conditions like diabetes and eye disease may be at a five-fold increased risk of requiring intubation when hospitalized with Covid-19. Read on to know more.

Written by Arushi Bidhuri |Updated : November 25, 2020 9:11 AM IST

People suffering from health conditions like diabetes and eye disease may be at a five-fold increased risk of requiring intubation when hospitalized with Covid-19, according to the finding of a new study. The study published in the international journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice found a link between diabetic retinopathy and Covid-19.

Diabetic retinopathy is a common diabetes complication that affects eyes. In the disease, the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue in retina get damaged, which may cause blindness if left untreated. Studies have found that people suffering from diabetes are at an increased risk of coronavirus.

The Link Between Diabetic Retinopathy And Severe Covid-19 Infections

The research team, including study author Antonella Corcillo from the King's College London in the UK, studies the effects of diabetic retinopathy on the severity of the viral infection. For the study, the researchers investigated 187 people with diabetes, hospitalized with Covid-19. This included 179 with type 2 diabetes and eight with type 1 diabetes. 36 per cent of the patients had diabetic retinopathy, 26 per cent were intubated. It was also reported that 45 per cent of these patients had retinopathy.

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According to the results of the study, patients with diabetic retinopathy were at a five-fold risk of severe Covid-19 infection. Also, 32 per cent of the patients died, and no association was observed between retinopathy and mortality.

However, the researchers stated that there is an increasing evidence of significant damage to the blood vessels in the lung and other organs in patients hospitalized with severe Covid-19. People with diabetes are also at a higher risk of vascular complications that affect the large and small blood vessels.

Coronavirus And Respiratory Failure

The study concluded that vascular diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, makes people more vulnerable to respiratory failure in severe Covid-19 cases. A study published in The Lancet also found a link between Covid-19 and acute respiratory failure.

Respiratory failure is a serious condition that occurs when the lungs don't get enough oxygen into the blood. It leads to a buildup of carbon dioxide and damages the tissues and slows down the oxygen delivery to the tissues. Symptoms of this condition may include:

  • Rapid breathing
  • Confusion
  • Inability to breathe properly
  • Skin, fingertips or lips turning blueish
  • Restlessness
  • Anxiety
  • Sleepiness
  • Irregular heartbeats
  • Profuse sweating
  • Loss of consciousness