Why carry out this study?

Diabetes and COVID-19 carry a bidirectional relationship. There is a paucity of data on the exact magnitude and pathophysiological link for beta cell dysfunction and new-onset diabetes following COVID-19, especially mild/asymptomatic disease.

This study aimed to evaluate whether SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with beta cell dysfunction and progression of glycemic and cardiometabolic variables in an established cohort.

What was learned from the study?

A significantly higher proportion of participants in the infected group progressed in body mass index (BMI) category, i.e., from normal weight to overweight or from overweight to obesity category.

Progression in glycemic and insulin indices [homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), Matsuda index, and oral disposition index (oDI)] categories was also evident in a larger proportion of participants in the infected group; however, the difference was not statistically significant.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to formally evaluate the emerging concept of new-onset metabolic dysfunction following SARS-CoV-2 infection using a longitudinal cohort design.