ABSTRACT
Background Data on patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infections are sparse. This study aimed to investigate the association between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and T1DM. Methods Data from the Prospective Diabetes Follow‐up (DPV) Registry were analyzed for diabetes patients tested for SARS‐CoV‐2 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg during January 2020–June 2021, using Wilcoxon rank‐sum and chi‐square tests for continuous and dichotomous variables, adjusted for multiple testing. Results Data analysis of 1855 pediatric T1DM patients revealed no differences between asymptomatic/symptomatic infected and SARS‐CoV‐2 negative/positive patients regarding age, new‐onset diabetes, diabetes duration, and body mass index. Glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) rate were not elevated in SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive vs. ‐negative patients. The COVID‐19 manifestation index was 37.5% in individuals with known T1DM, but 57.1% in individuals with new‐onset diabetes. 68.8% of positively tested patients were managed as outpatients/telemedically. Data analysis of 240 adult T1MD patients revealed no differences between positively and negatively tested patients except lower HbA1c. Of these patients, 83.3% had symptomatic infections;35.7% of positively tested patients were hospitalized. Conclusions Our results indicate low morbidity in SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected pediatric T1DM patients. Most patients with known T1DM and SARS‐CoV‐2 infections could be managed as outpatients. However, SARS‐CoV‐2 infection was usually symptomatic if it coincided with new‐onset diabetes. In adult patients, symptomatic SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and hospitalization were associated with age. Highlights Diabetic ketoacidosis rate and HbA1c were not elevated in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. Pediatric patients with known T1DM did not show an elevated COVID‐19 manifestation index;only pediatric patients with coincident SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and new‐onset diabetes had an elevated rate of symptomatic infection. Adult patients showed an age‐dependent increase in symptomatic SARS‐CoV‐2 infections and hospitalization rate.