key: cord-0824128-vnmo8k0a
authors: Taheri, Shahrad; Chagoury, Odette; Tourette, Mary; Skaroni, Ioanna; Othman, Manal; Bashir, Mohammed; Dukhan, Khaled; Al Mohannadi, Dabia; Hassan, Dahlia; Ghadban, Wissam; Zirie, Mahmoud; Al-Abdulla, Samya; Abou-Samra, Abdul B
title: Managing diabetes in Qatar during the COVID-19 pandemic
date: 2020-04-28
journal: Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol
DOI: 10.1016/s2213-8587(20)30154-6
sha: 24ceab1c29ba3255c917c76d35bb6b2ef28a7f75
doc_id: 824128
cord_uid: vnmo8k0a

nan

Qatar has one of the highest prevalence estimates of diabetes (17%) in the world, 4 placing a substantial proportion of the population at risk of severe COVID-19 infection. Diabetes in Qatar has an earlier age of disease onset and complications than is seen in western populations. 4 To tackle the serious challenge of COVID-19 and diabetes, Qatar has established a programme to mobilise resources to ensure that people with diabetes are protected through a coordinated collaborative team response across primary and secondary care. People with diabetes have been provided with a helpline to support diabetes care and mental health. An ongoing media campaign for patient guidance on COVID-19 and diabetes has been initiated, reinforced through direct text messages regarding COVID-19 measures, sick day rules, selfmonitoring, medication management, diabetes complications, lifestyle, psychological health, and Ramadan fasting. By use of electronic medical records, patients with poor diabetes control (Glycated haemoglobin A1c >8%) who are treated with insulin and aged older than 50 years will be initially engaged through teleconsultations by physicians and diabetes educators. These teleconsultations aim to improve glycaemic control by diabetes medication optimisation and to reinforce adherence to lipid-lowering and antihypertensive medications.

A key aspect of the programme is optimising vitamin D to protect against acute respiratory infection. 5 Home delivery has been set up for medications and supplies. The programme has been facilitated by an established and successful national diabetes strategy. Collaboration with industry will facilitate access to both diabetes supplies and mobile apps for remote patient monitoring.

At a time when focus is on the immediate COVID-19 problem, it is important to not neglect people who might be at the highest risk, as they will be affected both directly and indirectly. It is vital for all health services to have a strategy for managing diabetes in epidemics and to share their knowledge and experience to face current and future challenges.

Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China

COVID-19 and diabetes

Prevalence of comorbidities in the novel Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Qatar National Diabetes Strategy

Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: individual participant data meta-analysis

We declare no competing interests.