Results of a 12-month follow-up of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after hospitalization with COVID-19: gliclazide MR use in the hospital and metabolic status at the posthospital stage

BACKGROUND: The role of antidiabetic drugs in inpatient with COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is usually considered in the context of target glycemiа maintaining. Except for insulin therapy sulfonylurea may be used in moderate COVID-19. The use of original gliclazide MR has advantages due to low risk of hypoglycemia and established cardio- and nephroprotective effects. But it is not clear whether the choice of antidiabetic drugs during hospitalization may affect patient’s condition in post-COVID period.

AIM:. To assess the 12-month dynamics of carbohydrate metabolism in patients with T2DM after hospitalization for COVID-19 considering the character of hypoglycemic therapy in the hospital and the use of gliclazide MR

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 12-month prospective study was performed; T2DM patients were observed after hospitalization for COVID-19. They received in hospital: 1) original gliclazide MR (Diabeton MR, n=20) and 2) insulin (control group, n=20). Changes in antidiabetic therapy, glycemic control and biochemical tests were assessed at baseline and after 3, 6, 12 months. RESULTS: In the main and control groups the intensification of T2DM therapy was observed: the proportion of patients without hypoglycemic drugs decreased within a year by 3.0 (p = 0.001) and 2.8 (p =0.010) times respectively. Mean HbA1c values,the dynamics of inflammation markers and transaminases in both groups were similar (p>0.05 at all visits). Blood creatinine was at baseline 82.9±18.67 and 120.9±45.52 µmol/l (p=0.010), after 3 months — 88.0±18.77 and 104, 5±17.99 µmol/l (p=0.024), after 6 months — 89.3±12.17 and 97.5±9.03 µmol/l (p=0.072), after 12 months — 86.7±10.50 and 93.9±16.76 µmol/l (p=0.16). According to the data obtained during «3 months» visit, the dose of original gliclazide MR was directly correlated with the improvement in renal function in terms of glomerular filtration rateGFR (R=0,59, р=0,010). In addition, there was a close-to-significance correlation between continued gliclazide MR at visit 3 and improvement in GFR at visit 6 (R=0.31, p=0.076).

CONCLUSION: The post-hospital period in patients with COVID-19 and T2DM was characterized by a tendency to hyperglycemia and increased need for hypoglycemic therapy. The use of original gliclazide MR by in patients with moderate COVID-19 and T2DM is appropriate and safe in terms of clinical and metabolic parameters dynamics during long-term post-hospital follow-up. When original gliclazide MR is continued during the post-hospital period its nephroprotective properties may contribute to the process of renal functions normalization which should be confirmed by further research.

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