Weight change and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients during COVID-19 pandemic: the lockdown effect

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown occurred in Italy from March 9th to May 18th, 2020 on anthropometric parameters and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods One hundred twenty-eight consecutive patients with T2DM (median age 70 years, 74 males) were retrospectively evaluated at the end of the lockdown period. Data on metabolic control were collected at different time: within three months before the lockdown (visit 0) and within the first six weeks after it (visit 1). Results During the lockdown, a significant increase in body weight (from 79.7 +/- 18.7 kg to 81.4 +/- 19.4 kg, p < 0.001), body mass index (BMI, from 29.5 +/- 6 kg/m(2) to 30.1 +/- 6.3 kg/m(2), p < 0.001), waist circumference (from 103.8 +/- 13 cm to 105 +/- 13.6 cm, p < 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (FPG; from 138.1 +/- 29.4 mg/dL to 146.6 +/- 36.4 mg/dL) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c; from 7 +/- 0.8 to 7.3 +/- 0.9%, p < 0.001) was observed. Weight gain was directly associated with HbA1c increase (beta 0.085, C.I. 95% 0.05-0.121; p < 0.001) while insulin therapy resulted to be the only significant independent predictor of HbA1c worsening at the multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR 2.40, C.I. 1.06-5.45; p = 0.035). Conclusions The lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on body weight and glucose control in T2DM patients, in particular in those on insulin treatment. This finding provides a further rationale to optimize the diabetes management during eventually new period of home confinement.