HYPERGLYCEMIA ON THE BACKGROUND OF TREATMENT OF COVID-19-ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA USING GLUCOCORTICOIDS

Abstract

The pandemic of coronavirus pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus and its multiple complications are a global issue of the day. Coronavirus infection is more severe in patients having chronic concomitant diseases. Also, cardiovascular and metabolic complications, as well as autoimmune disorders, are frequently revealed. The article provides a review of studies regarding hyperglycemia on the background of glucocorticoids use in patients without previous disorders of carbohydrate metabolism. The mechanisms of hyperglycemia development against the background of pathogenetic therapy of cytokine storm in COVID-19 have been described. The aim of this article was to study the pathophysiology of hyperglycemia and to identify hyperglycemia as one of the frequently detected side effects of glucocorticoid treatment against the background of COVID-associated pneumonia. The article presents data from several international research groups about effective and adequate ways of correcting hyperglycemia in accordance with the duration of action of particular insulin medications. The severity of coronavirus infection is often associated with the glycemic status, and this indicator is correlated with the prognosis of the course of coronavirus infection. The biomarkers of inflammatory processes in COVID-19 are discussed. The present article specifies glycemic targets in case of hyperglycemia during treatment with glucocorticoids in the setting of COVID-19.

Keywords

• covid-19
• sars-cov-2
• ace2
• cytokines
• cytokine storm
• pneumonia
• glucocorticoid therapy
• hyperglycemia
• insulin therapy
• poor prognosis