Introduction & Objective: SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with new-onset Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and higher pandemic healthcare utilization. We evaluated Hemoglobin A1c testing rates after SARS-CoV-2 infection to explore whether new T2D diagnoses may be a consequence of increased post-infection screening.
Methods: We used data from adults (≥18 years) without diagnosed T2D from the OneFlorida+ clinical research network, who formed an Exposed cohort with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test (n = 67,343) over March 2020 - January 2022, an Unexposed cohort with negative tests (n = 206,281) over the same period, and an age-sex matched Historical cohort (n = 73,791) over March 2018 - January 2020. Using a difference-in-difference framework and stratified by race-ethnicity, we reported excess HbA1c tests in the year post-SARS-CoV-2 infection relative to the year before infection.
Results: The analytic sample was 20.5% NH Black and 22.0% Hispanic with mean age of 50.9 years (SD: 19.2). Relative to the Exposed cohort (change per 1000 individuals: 89 [95%CI: 87, 90]), the Unexposed (173 [95% CI: 171, 175]) and Historical (154 [95%CI: 143, 165]) cohorts showed larger changes in HbA1c testing. Associations were similar across racial-ethnic groups except NH Other, Figure.
Conclusion: Higher rates of diabetes screening may not explain the previously observed increased T2DM incidence following SARS-CoV-2 infection.
R.N. Ekanayake: None. R. Chakkalakal: None. M.K. Ali: Advisory Panel; Eli Lilly and Company. J. Varghese: None.
National Institutes of Health (R01DK120814-05S1, P30DK111024)
