People with certain underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, are at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19. And now it appears that there also may be a relationship between severe COVID-19 infections and new cases of diabetes.

Preliminary studies found that more than 14% of patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and recovered also were newly diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. It's something that medical experts are watching closely.

Watch: Dr. Yogish Kudva discusses diabetes and COVID-19 connection.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Kudva are available in the downloads. Please courtesy "Yogish Kudva, M.B.B.S. / Endocrinology / Mayo Clinic."

"So when the immune system is not working as well and tends to work against the insulin-making cells, even when the sugar is normal, you can diagnose this with certain tests, such as antibody tests. And if in such individuals there is an illness, that can worsen the sugar in these people. So that could be an explanation for why Type 1 diabetes might be diagnosed after COVID-19 — that these are individuals who were already predisposed," says Dr. Yogish Kudva, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist whose clinical focus is diabetes.

Researchers say it's not clear yet if diabetes directly results from severe COVID-19 illness. And in the case of Type 2 diabetes, the virus could be quickening the development of the disease for those with existing risk factors, such as prediabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

"This individual is predisposed to abnormal glucose characteristics, abnormal glucose regulation, and then severe COVID happens. That's going to accelerate the progression from this state toward a more uncontrolled state," says Dr. Kudva.

He says there is still much to be learned about the long-term effects of COVID-19, but it is clear that people with diabetes are at higher risk for developing severe illness from the virus.

"It appears now that people with diabetes seem to develop more severe COVID-19 disease. It's not that people with diabetes are more prone to COVID-19. But if they develop COVID-19, the disease is much more severe and seems to progress quicker. That seems to happen both with Type 2 and Type 1 diabetes," says Dr. Kudva.

He says it's important to immediately begin improving underlying health conditions that may cause diabetes and follow COVID-19 safety precautions.

"Rigorous attention to all the primary preventive measures that we use: mask-wearing, social distancing, hand-washing — I think those things continue to be relevant and will continue to be relevant for quite some time yet. We are still in the middle of the pandemic," says Dr. Kudva. "I think a second issue would be physical fitness. Doing whatever they can, given the limitations that we have, making sure that they adhere to all the guidelines of what to do safely indoors and outdoors. And, therefore, work on improving physical fitness. Clearly, physical activity is an important component of every day and adds to our fitness and therefore our ability to withstand every severe illness. So that's the second component. And then the third component would be if they do fall sick, to seek attention early. And then the fourth component is the vaccine."

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a nonpatient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date. 

For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

Learn more about: tracking COVID-19 and COVID-19 trends.

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On the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast, Dr. Richard Hurt, emeritus director of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, discuss the decades-long fight against big tobacco. The tobacco companies were required to begin running court-ordered television and newspaper ads – called corrective statements – to tell the American public the truth about the dangers of smoking. Also on the podcast, Dr. Yogish Kudva, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, discusses new diabetes technologies. And, Dr. Rizwan Sohail, director of the Travel and Tropical Medicine Clinic at Mayo Clinic, explains what causes motion sickness and how to avoid it.

The post #MayoClinicRadio Podcast: 1/6/18 appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Richard Hurt, emeritus director of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, will discuss the decades-long fight against big tobacco. Also on the program, Dr. Yogish Kudva, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, will discuss new diabetes technologies. And, Dr. Rizwan Sohail, director of the Travel and Tropical Medicine Clinic at Mayo Clinic, will explain what causes motion sickness and how to avoid it.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post Tobacco company corrective statements / diabetes technology / motion sickness: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

In November 2017, the major U.S. tobacco companies were required to begin running court-ordered television and newspaper ads that tell the American public the truth about the dangers of smoking. The ads – called corrective statements –will run for one year on television networks during prime time and in print and online in about 50 newspapers. These corrective statements are a part of the 2006 ruling in a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit, which sought to punish cigarette makers for decades of deceiving the public about the dangers of their products.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Richard Hurt, emeritus director of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, will discuss the decades-long fight against big tobacco. Also on the program, Dr. Yogish Kudva, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, will discuss new diabetes technologies. And, Dr. Rizwan Sohail, director of the Travel and Tropical Medicine Clinic at Mayo Clinic, will explain what causes motion sickness and how to avoid it.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Corrective statements required from tobacco companies appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Richard Hurt, emeritus director of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, will discuss the decades-long fight against big tobacco. Also on the program, Dr. Yogish Kudva, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, will discuss new diabetes technologies. And, Dr. Rizwan Sohail, director of the Travel and Tropical Medicine Clinic at Mayo Clinic, will explain what causes motion sickness and how to avoid it.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Tobacco company corrective statements / diabetes technology / motion sickness appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (1:00) is in the downloads. Read the script.

The pancreas is the organ responsible for producing insulin in the body. But, with Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas is unable to produce insulin. So patients are forced to constantly check their glucose levels and inject insulin throughout the day to maintain normal levels. It can be a demanding and painful process.

Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Dr. Yogish Kudva oversees research on artificial pancreas systems at Mayo Clinic. He says the systems can drastically improve quality of life in patients with Type 1 diabetes.

"What it does is it makes that whole process less burdensome," Dr. Kudva says.

The artificial pancreas is a two part system that automates the process and makes insulin injections more prompt and accurate.

First, a probe that's implanted below the skin constantly measures glucose levels. The probe sends a wireless signal to an insulin pump, which connects to an injection site via tubes. As the pump receives signals from the probe, it automatically injects the correct amount of insulin.

Dr. Kudva says the system has limitations, but he says ongoing research should lead to big advances and more options for patients soon.

"For example, the continuous glucose monitoring system could last for longer," he says. The continuous glucose monitoring system could get more accurate. The insulin pump itself could get smaller, ... and the tubing could get better and less intrusive."

Those advances will lead to fewer patients having to poke themselves with needles every day and a better overall quality of life.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: Advancing technology making Type 1 diabetes management easier appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.