ABSTRACT
The aim of the present manuscript is to discuss on potential pros and cons of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) as glucose-lowering agents during COVID-19 pandemic, and what is more to evaluate them as potential candidates for the treatment of patients, affected by COVID-19 infection, with or even without diabetes mellitus type 2. Besides being important glucose-lowering agents, GLP-1RAs pose promising anti-inflammatory and anti-obesogenic properties, pulmonary protective effects, as well as beneficial impact on gut microbiome composition. Hence, taking everything previously mentioned into consideration, GLP-1RAs seem to be potential candidates for the treatment of patients, affected by COVID-19 infection, with or even without type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as excellent antidiabetic (glucose-lowering) agents during COVID-19 pandemic times.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 Drug Treatment , COVID-19 , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor/agonists , Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology , Obesity , COVID-19/epidemiology , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism , Drug Repositioning/methods , Humans , Obesity/drug therapy , Obesity/metabolism , Protective Agents/pharmacology , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
As we are facing worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, we aimed to identify potential pathophysiological mechanisms leading to increased COVID-19 susceptibility and severity in obesity. Special emphasis will be given on increased susceptibility to infections due to obesity-related low-grade chronic inflammation, higher expression of angiotensin converting enzyme-2 and pathway-associated components, as well as decreased vitamin D bioavailability, since all of them provide easier ways for the virus to enter into host cells, replicate and stunt adequate immune responses.