Boston-based study blazing trail on COVID-19 connection to diabetes

BOSTON — Diabetes is an increased risk factor for contracting COVID-19, and now the Boston-based non-profit T1D Exchange is conducting a large-scale study to find out why. The organization quickly organized a study at the start of the outbreak and now is compiling data from 50 medical centers.

T1D Exchange CEO David Walton tells Boston 25 News, the goal is to determine the prevalence, presentation, and progression of the virus in type one diabetes patients.

“We really want to understand those symptoms, how frequent is it, if someone has good blood sugar control, do they have no added risk of contracting it and that is the prevailing wisdom at this point,” Walton said.

“For type 1 patients with blood sugars not controlled, we're seeing more adverse outcomes in that group,” added T1D Exchange Vice-President and principal investigator Dr. Osagie Ebekozien.

Dr. Ebekozien expects to release the first results from the study by the end of April.

For more information on the T1D Exchange study, visit their website here.

JDRF New England Chapter is conducting a Tuesday night Virtual Education Series. For more resources, visit the JDRF’s website here.

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