An appalling possible effect of COVID-19 is the rise of type 1 diabetes among children. This was the findings of a study, made during the peak of the coronavirus epidemic in Britain.

In the study published in Diabetes Care, researchers from Imperial College London (ICL) and led by clinicians at the ICL NHS Trust, found that 30 children in different hospitals in north-west London had a new-onset of type 1 diabetes.

Comparing the cases, they found that in the same period in previous years, the number has doubled. The concentration of cases was found in two hospitals, and a number of the children either had active coronavirus or were previously exposed to it.

Karen Logan, supervising author of the study, an Honorary Research Associate at the Imperial College London and a clinical nurse specialist from the ICL NHS Trust, stated that children have a low risk of developing severe COVID-19. She stated though that there is a need to look into the possible health complications that may arise after children are exposed to the virus.

Logan stated they believe that their study is the first one that showed the link between developing type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 in children. She emphasised that although their study was limited to a single region in the UK, they are hoping that health practitioners will keep this potential link in mind. She also underscored that more research is still needed to establish if there is indeed a definitive link between COVID-19 and type 1 diabetes in children.

In the study, 21 children were tested for coronavirus or had antibody tests to check if they had bouts with the virus before. Out of the 21, five who had newly-diagnosed type 1 diabetes either were positive or had a past infection.

The researchers indicated that the coronavirus spike protein may be able to attack the insulin-making cells of the pancreas and destroy them. In type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed, preventing the body from producing adequate amounts of insulin that would regulate the blood sugar levels.

Children in classroom Children in classroom
At least five children -- three in New York, and one each in France and Britain -- have died from a COVID-19-related syndrome that inflames the immune system Photo: AFP / Damien MEYER

The study also indicated that there were previous reports in China and Italy, wherein a number of children had new-onset type 1 diabetes, but unrelated to infection.